Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
(2007) 1:271278
DOI 10.1007/s11740-007-0046-4
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Received: 12 February 2007 / Accepted: 9 March 2007 / Published online: 24 July 2007
German Academic Society for Production Engineering (WGP) 2007
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The degree of change of the respective properties depends on the degree of geometric modifications.
Besides the multiple flexural stiffness of the aluminum
foam/steel sandwiches in comparison to steel sheets with
equivalent mass, the foam core is evident to be a vibrationdamping element. The friction between the crack surfaces
in the pore walls explains the good damping properties
of the aluminum foam, i.e. they are caused by relative
micromotions in the foam structure. Table 1 provides some
values of the dynamic loss factor of common construction
materials in comparison to that of aluminum foam [1, 4].
4 Example of application
Aluminum foam/steel sandwiches are used today in
numerous prototypes, and also in applications. These semifinished products are not only appropriate for the use in fast
moving machine tool assemblies but also for the con-
Steel
Reaction
resin concrete
Aluminum
foam
1.44 103
0.74 103
6.4 103
4.5 103
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roughnesses resulting in a frictional connection. The proportion of the different working mechanisms to the adhesion process depends on the respective materials, the
preparation of the surface, and on the process conditions.
In order to realize the adhesion processes during the
fabrication of aluminum foam/steel sandwiches heat is required. The interatomic bonds aresimilar to solderingthe result of four processes:
5 Adhesion mechanisms
In aluminum foam/steel sandwiches the aluminum foam
adheres to the cover sheets due to chemical adsorption,
mechanical cramping and metallurgical interactions.
The bonding of atoms and molecules of similar or different type to solid bodies result from interactions of the
outer electrons of the atomic shells (principal valence
bonds), or by interactions of electrically polarized molecules (auxiliary valence bonds). In case of the principal
valence bonds, also called primary valence bonds, one
distinguishes between polar bonding, atomic bonding, and
metallic bonding, but numerous hybrid forms are possible
[8]. Aluminum foam/steel sandwiches are composites of
metallic materials, therefore metallic bonding will dominate.
The mechanic clamping can be explained on the one
hand by form fit of the molten aluminum foam with surface
roughnesses of the steel cover sheets. On the other hand,
the foam shrinks during the cooling process on the
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Cover sheets
Treatment
Foam
1.0330a
AlMg1Si0.5
A2
1.0330
AlSi10
B1
1.0330
B2
1.0330
C1
1.0330
C2
1.0330
D1
1.0330
Etched
AlMg1Si0.5
AlSi10
Abrasive blasted
AlMg1Si0.5
AlSi10
Nickel electroplated
D2
1.0330
E1
1.0330
E2
1.0330
AlSi10
F1
1.4016
AlMg1Si0.5
F2
1.4016
AlSi10
G1
1.4301
AlMg1Si0.5
G2
H1
1.4301
1.4713
AlSi10
AlMg1Si0.5
H2
1.4713
AlSi10
I1
1.4828
AlMg1Si0.5
I2
1.4828
AlSi10
300
250
200
150
100
50
AlSi10
Chemically nickel-plated
A1
A2
B1
C1
D1
D2
E1
E2
L1
L2
AlMg1Si0.5
1.0330
AlMg1Si0.5
L2
1.0330
AlSi10
350
AlMg1Si0.5
150
Sandwich
120
90
60
30
0
F1
F2
G1
G2
H1
H2
I1
I2
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0.6
Content Fe [wt-%]
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
Al + 2 wt-% Si, 791 oC
Al, 792 oC
Trend fr Al, 792 oC
Trend fr Al + 2 wt -% Si, 791 oC
0.1
0
200
400
600
800
1000
Time [s]
200
150
100
Measured data A1
Measured data B1
Trend A1
Trend B1
50
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
Density [g/cm ]
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10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80 90 100
1538 C
1400
1394 C
1310 C
Temperature C
(Fe)
1200
1159 C
1232 C
(Fe)
1150 C
1102 C
1000
FeAl
912 C
800
FeAl
FeAl
770 C
655 C
Fe 2 Al 5
600
660 C
(Al)
Fe 3Al
400
0
Fe
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Al
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8 Conclusion
Sample
Al
B1
56.4
D1
D2
Good adhesion between the cover sheets and the foam core
is the crucial factor for the applications of the sandwiches.
The adhesive force should be higher than the strength of
the aluminum foam. With the help of drum peeling tests
according to DIN 53295 the adhesion of different cover
sheet/aluminum foam combinations has been analyzed.
Good adhesion could be reached for sandwiches with cover
sheets made of low-alloy steel, in connection with
AlMg1Si0.5 core layers. Surface treatment such as blast
cleaning or nickel electroplating leads to increased adhesion. Clearly worse results were obtained with the alloy
AlSi10 and high-grade steel cover plates, except for the
high-grade steel 1.4713 for which in combination with the
alloy AlMg1Si0.5 good adhesion was obtained, too.
Glued aluminum foam composites were less resistant in
comparison to metallically bonded sandwiches. In addition,
all examined glue connections failed in the boundary zone
between cover sheet and metal foam.
In order to characterize the boundary layer between
aluminum foam and cover sheet selected samples were
examined by X-ray diffraction analyses. The presence of
the intermetallic phases Al5Fe2 and Al5FeSi, respectively,
in the boundary layers, known from the literature could be
confirmed.
There is a large potential using aluminum foam/steel
sandwiches in lightweight construction. Reproducible and
high adhesive strength within compound structures is
necessary for launching serial production of these semifinished foam products. For the future there will be focus
on pursuing analyses based on the present results.
Si
Fe
Ni
1.3
42.2
0.0
61.5
0.8
30.9
6.4
67.4
14.9
3.5
13.0
nickel layer of the cover sheet. In the samples with highgrade steel cover sheets, no distinct phase formation could
be detected.
For a more precise characterization of the boundary
layer between the steel sheet and the aluminum foam, and
in order to verify the results of X-ray diffraction analysis,
for certain samples an area analysis by the scanning electron microscope LEO 1455 VP was carried out using
EDXS (Table 3).
Figure 10 shows a micrograph of sample B1. The steel
cover sheet, the AlMg1Si0.5 core, and also the transition
layer can be seen clearly.
The analysis of the chemical composition of sample B1
confirms the results of X-ray diffraction analysis. The
percentage distribution of aluminum and iron matches the
phase Al5Fe2 detected by X-ray diffraction in good
approximation.
In the samples with nickel-electroplated cover sheets
(D1 and D2) aluminum could be detected with more than
60% in weight. Furthermore, in both boundary layers iron
and nickel are present. The different percentages of these
elements lead to the conclusion that the cover sheet of
sample D1 had a much thinner nickel film than sample D2.
This explains that in the X-ray diffraction diagram of
sample D1 distinct iron peaks occurred in addition to the
peaks of the phase Al3Ni.
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