Characteristics of Porous Aluminium Materials Produced by Pressing Sodium Chloride into Their Melts

Abstract

The paper deals with research related to the production of metal cellular aluminium systems, in which production is based on the application of sodium chloride particles. In this paper, the properties of porous aluminium materials that were produced by an unconventional method—by pressing salt particles into the melt of aluminium alloy—are described. The new methodology was developed and verified for the production of these materials. The main feature of this methodology is a hydraulic forming press and a simple-shaped foundry mould. For these purposes, four different groups of sodium chloride particle sizes (1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 mm) were applied. The preferred aluminium foundry alloy (AlSi12) was used to produce the porous aluminium samples. Based upon this developed methodology, samples of porous aluminium materials were produced and analysed. Their weight and volume were monitored, their density and relative density were calculated, and their porosity was determined. In addition, the porosity of samples and continuity of their air cells were monitored as well. An industrial computed tomograph and a scanning electron microscope were applied for these purposes.