MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM AND A356 ALLOY FOAMS CRYSTALLIZED IN A THIN-WALLED WATER-COOLED MOLD.

Cylindrical foam castings of Al and A356 alloy were produced using a melt foaming method with the introduction of Ca and TiH2. Foam crystallization takes place in a cooled thin-walled metal mold. Samples cut off from the foam castings are investigated by X-ray tomography, quantitative data for porosity, average pores diameter and average cells wall thickness are obtained. It is found that the porosity is mainly open. Same samples are tested in quasi-static mode and the compressive strength is determined. The influence of porosity on compressive strength is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]