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Aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) are widely used in energy absorption because of their light weight and excellent energy dissipation capabilities. In this study, energy absorption, deformation modes, and dynamic response of AFS under low-velocity impact are investigated using experimental and numerical approaches. Dynamic impact tests are performed utilizing a drop hammer impact test on AFS with different core densities, face sheet thicknesses, and impact energy. Based on the 3D Voronoi foam model, a full-scale finite element model (FEM) is developed to simulate the mechanical response of AFS under low-velocity impact, and verified by experimental results. The contributions of different AFS components to energy absorption at various impact velocities are further analyzed, along with the effects of face sheet thickness distribution. The results indicate that the performance of the face sheet and core and the impact energy have a remarkable influence on the low-velocity impact response and damage modes of the AFS. The type of structure configuration, "thin top and thick bottom," enables the AFS better play its energy absorption while ensuring the overall light weight. This study provides a reference for the design and optimization of the face sheet thickness of AFS when it is used as an energy-absorbing member and improves their design efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve the energy absorption capabilities of auxetic structures, which are used in sandwich structures in engineering. To achieve this, the study used a combination of CFRP and aluminum materials in a hybrid double arrow-head auxetic (DAHA) structure. This paper conducted experiments and simulations to analyze the mechanical properties of the hybrid DAHA structures and found that the mixture ratio of hybrid material, ply angles of CFRP laminates, and inclination angles of beams significantly influenced the energy absorption performance of the structures. Additionally, the proposed hybrid DAHA structures outperformed other control groups when the thickness ratio of CFRP was 75%. The inclination angles of beams also affected the energy absorption capacity by changing the structural void of DAHA structures. These findings offer new insights into enhancing the energy absorption capacity of hybrid auxetic structures. The proposed hybrid structures can absorb more energy by 56.4% with a lower peak crushing force comparing with the traditional metal auxetic structure. Therefore, the CFRP/Aluminum hybrid auxetic structure has a bright future in the energy absorption fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

A composite structure containing a metallic skeleton and polyurea elastomer interpenetrating phase was fabricated, and its anti-penetration performance for low-velocity large mass fragments was experimentally studied. The protection capacity of three polyurea was compared based on the penetration resistance force measurement. Results show that the polyurea coating layer at the backside improves the performance of the polyurea-filled spherical cell porous aluminum (SCPA) plate due to its backside support effect and phase transition effect, which are accompanied by a large amount of energy absorption. The frontal-side-coated polyurea layer failed to shear and provided a very limited strengthening effect on the penetration resistance of the interpenetrating phase composite panel. The filling polyurea in SCPA increased the damage area and formed a compression cone for the backside coating layer, leading to a significant stress diffusion effect. The anti-penetration performance was synergistically improved by the plug block effect of the interpenetrating phase composite and the backside support effect of the PU coating layer. Compared with SCPA, the initial impact failure strength and the average resistance force of the composite plate were improved by 120–200% and 108–274%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) toxicity poses a significant challenge to agricultural productivity, particularly in acidic soils. The banana crop, predominantly cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates, often grapples with low pH and Al toxicity. This study seeks to explore the differential responses of two banana genotypes with varying Al tolerance (Baodao and Baxi) to Al exposure (100 and 500 µM) for 24 h. Microscopic analysis uncovered distinctive structural modifications in root cells, with Baodao displaying more severe alterations in response to Al stress. There was higher superoxide (O2−.) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production and lipid peroxidation in Baodao indicating enhanced oxidative stress and membrane damage. Al accumulation in root tips was higher in Baxi than Baodao, while the roots of Baodao had a higher accumulation of callose. Nutrient content analysis revealed alterations in ion levels, highlighting the impact of Al exposure on nutrient uptake and homeostasis. In summary, Al differentially affects callose deposition, which, in turn, leads to Al uptake and nutrient homeostasis alteration in two contrasting banana genotypes. This intricate interplay is a key factor in understanding plant responses to aluminum toxicity and can inform strategies for crop improvement and soil management in aluminum-stressed environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium-based physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings, such as titanium nitride (TiN) and titanium niobium nitride (TiNbN), are common solutions for surface modifications in medical applications. Ex vivo studies of retrieved knee implants indicate the demand for increased scratch and abrasion resistance of PVD coatings in clinical applications. Based on the promising mechanical performance of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) as a coating for tools, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the chemical composition of titanium-based nitride coatings with aluminum (Al) and niobium (Nb). Nine titanium aluminum niobium nitride (Ti1−x−yAlxNbyN) coatings with 0.4 ≤ x < 0.7 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.18, as well as commercial TiN and TiNbN, were coated in an industrial scale arc PVD process, following a randomized, multifactorial response surface design. The deposition rate, the scratch resistance, and the hardness were measured following standardized protocols. The microstructure of the coating was analyzed by SEM and XRD. In addition, the surface roughness was determined by laser scanning microscopy. A quadratic regression was performed to determine the impact of the chemical composition on coating properties. Experimental results and regression analyses revealed the significant impact of the chemical composition of Ti1−x−yAlxNbyN on the coating microstructure, mechanics, and morphology. Scratch resistance for initial crack formation and cohesive failure could be increased decisively, compared to TiN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) is a lightweight material that has great potential for applications in the automotive industry. In this work, the production routes of metal foams and metal foam sandwiches are reviewed. We compare the mechanical properties of AFS, such as high mass-specific bending stiffness, compressive strength and crash-absorption capacity, with other materials such as steel, aluminum alloys, or fiber composites and place them in a cost/weight comparison. Additional functional properties such as high electromagnetic damping, increased sound absorption, and improved fire resistance underline its multi-functional character. Furthermore, possible joining techniques and parts of AFS for modern car bodies, such as the battery box, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum and A356 alloy foam castings are produced using a melt-foaming method. Prior to foaming, the melt is modified with nano-sized particles (SiC, TiN, or Al2O3). The nano-sized particles are mixed with micro-sized Al particles, which are ultrasonically treated and hot-extruded. Thus, the so-called "modifying nano-composition" is obtained. The resulting compositions are introduced into the melt of the Al foam at the following mass concentrations of nanoparticles: SiC: 0.038 wt. %; TiN: 0.045 wt. %; and Al2O3: 0.046 wt. %. For the A356 foam, we use the following concentrations: SiC: 0.039 wt. %; TiN: 0.052 wt. %; and Al2O3: 0.086 wt. %. The macrostructure of the foam castings is investigated by CT scanning and 3D analysis. The pore size distributions and accumulative fraction dependencies are determined for all samples. The microstructure of the foam castings is investigated by SEM-EDS analysis. The results confirmed the presence of individual nano-sized particles, as well as clusters of particles in foam walls. The conducted compression tests show a significant increase in the plateau stress (up to 237%) of the modified aluminum foam castings compared to non-modified castings. However, a similar effect of the nano-compositions on A356 alloy foam castings is not observed. The obtained results show that the above-indicated concentrations of nanoparticles can positively influence the mechanical properties of aluminum foam castings. The novelty of the current study is two-fold: (1) such low concentrations of added nanoparticles have never been used before to alter Al foam's properties, and (2) an original method of introducing the nanoparticles into the melt is applied in the form of nano-compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a dual-band terahertz metamaterial absorber (TMA) where all components of the designed structure are made of aluminum (optical) material. Unlike the metal-dielectric-metal structures typically found in the literature, the proposed structure has a lightweight material that does not contain a sandwich structure. Thus, the structure greatly simplifies the production process and reduces the cost. The results of electromagnetic and equivalent circuit simulations are compared based on the S11 parameters (in dB), resulting in good agreement of findings by CST and ADS, respectively. The proposed TMA operates in dual frequency bands at 1.902 THz (f1) and 1.976 THz (f2), with strong absorption of 98.17% and 99.05%, respectively. The quality factors (Q-factors) corresponding to these resonant frequencies are 240.15, (f1) and 181.61, (f2). When the refractive index (RI) of the medium surrounding the TMA varies, the absorption peaks shift accordingly. The detection properties of the proposed TMA are examined as the RI of the surrounding medium is varied primarily between 1.34 and 1.39 with an increase of 0.01 for biomedical applications. The corresponding sensitivities of two resonance peaks are 0.794 THz/RIU and 0.971 THz/RIU, respectively. Since many samples, such as human blood, basal/breast/cervical cells, and cancerous cells, are found in this RI range, the proposed TMA sensor can be used as a viable biosensor in the identification of biological samples for real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For composite metal foam structures to be used as load‐bearing and energy‐absorbing elements, comprehensive testing should be done. Therefore, an extensive characterization of foam‐filled structures by various load types, such as axial and lateral compression, as well as three‐point bending, is carried out, aiming to differentiate the behavior of various cross‐sectional geometry foam‐filled hollow sections and the application of a tough epoxy adhesive and a ductile polysiloxane adhesive. Applying the epoxy adhesive improves the overall energy absorption by 10% during axial compression compared to the sum of the foam and empty hollow section. The application of the polysiloxane adhesive over the epoxy one increases the deflection at failure during three‐point bending by an average of 58%. The deformation and strength during axial compression and three‐point bending are hollow section dominated, while the foam core dominates the deformation and the strength during lateral compression for both produce composite foam‐filled hollow sections with epoxy and polysiloxane adhesive bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a synchrotron-based in situ X-ray micro-tomography facility for 3D imaging of material deformation under compression and tensile loads. In this report, we have discussed the details of this experimental facility, and as a case study, the quasi-static, elasto-plastic compression behavior of open-cell aluminum (Al) alloy foam is studied under in situ load conditions. Micro-tomography images obtained at different levels of compressive strains reveal damage kinetics of the cellular microstructure, observed in the form of strut bending and fracture, cell size reduction, shape distortion, cell wall collapse, etc. These morphological and structural changes are found to be closely correlated with specific variations in the stress–strain curve, which explain its macroscopic deformation behavior. The experimental stress–strain behavior is compared to a constitutive model for metal foams, and observed deviations are discussed for structure–property relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, hybrid structures, which combine low‐density composites with low‐cost thin‐walled metals, have shown great effect in enhancing the performance of automotive body structures, especially the energy absorber components. This study focuses on the experimental and numerical investigation of the bending energy absorption behavior of CFRP/aluminum hybrid double hat‐section beams used in the side part of the car body. In the experimental section, two types of double hat‐section beams were fabricated: aluminum and Al/CFRP. These beams were then subjected to quasi‐static three‐point bending tests. The results demonstrated that the hybrid beam exhibited superior energy absorption capabilities compared to the single beam. Subsequently, a finite element model was developed using LS‐Dyna software and was validated by comparing the experimental and numerical load–displacement results. In‐depth numerical analyses were conducted to investigate the influence of various design parameters, including CFRP‐reinforcement configuration, numbers of CFRP layers, CFRP ply‐angle, CFRP reinforced length, and aluminum/CFRP mass, on crashworthiness indicators. The numerical findings indicate that the hybrid beam with 04, 45/−45s ply‐angles exhibited better crash force efficiency (CFE) and specific energy absorption (SEA) compared to other ply‐angles, respectively. Furthermore, increasing the number of CFRP layers within the total beam's mass improved its energy absorption capacity. It was also revealed that the CFRP length on the upper and lower hats could be considered as 42.5% of the total aluminum beam length, as opposed to the full CFRP length, providing enhanced energy absorption capabilities. Highlights: Bending behavior of the Al and Al/CFRP double hat section beams.Effects of variable thickness and identical mass on the double hat section beam.Effects of variable ply angle and number of CFRP layers on the hybrid beams.Discrete effect of CFRP reinforcement configurations and inner CFRP lengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the nonlinear dynamic response of sandwich plates under low-velocity impacts (LVIs), which consist of a porous aluminum foam core with functionally graded (FG) graphene platelets (GPLs) reinforcement and two titanium alloy face sheets. The finite element method is employed to perform the numerical simulations and the Hertz contact theory is used to model the impact behavior. The generic Halpin-Tsai model, which incorporates the porosity effect, is adopted to estimate the mechanical properties of core made of the FG-GPLRC, based on the experimental data of the closed-cell aluminum alloy foam. The simulation results reveal that the FG-X configuration has the highest impact resistance, and that the addition of GPLs improves the impact performance. Moreover, a thicker core can reduce both the first contact time and the vibration period of plates, while a looser boundary condition can prolong the vibration time after the first impact. Additionally, a higher impactor velocity, mass and radius lead to a higher deflection and contact force. The oblique impact decreases the impact energy. This work provides a lighter and stiffer design for structure engineers when components suffer low-velocity impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of grain refiners plays a crucial role in the casting of Al alloys, and ultrasonic treatment is increasingly applied. This paper focuses on the numerical simulations of 2219, an Al–Cu alloy, using different processes for introducing Al–5Ti–1B grain refiner, along with mechanical stirring and ultrasonic treatment. The multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model considers turbulent fluid flow, heat transfer, solidification, and the complex interaction between the 2219 Al alloy and TiB2 particles. Ansys's fluent dense discrete phase model (DDPM) and a particle engulfment and pushing (PEP) model are utilized for this purpose. The study investigates the fluid flow patterns and the distribution of TiB2 particles. Additionally, four control experiments are designed to correspond with the numerical simulations, enabling the investigation of the variations in α-Al grains and Al2Cu precipitation phases. The findings demonstrate that direct introduction of Al–5Ti–1B into the ultrasonic sonotrode results in uniform dispersion of TiB2 particles in the Al melt, reduction in α-Al grain size, and decreased area fraction of Al2Cu precipitated phase. The numerical simulation results are successfully validated through experimentation. Al–5Ti–1B ultrasonic sonotrode along with ultrasonic treatment has a good effect on 2219 Al alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of alloying on the local structural features of the experimental samples is studied in the regions of their potential cracking in the low-stability states with an aim of revealing the regularities of cracking and fracture. It is found out that the microcrack density in the neighborhood of the fracture region in the Cu+5at.%Al alloy, where cracking is prepared by the fragmented structure, is much higher than that in the Cu+6at.%Mn alloy, where cracking is prepared by the microbanded DSS. However, as we move from the site of potential fracture the microcrack densities in these microstructures become similar. It is shown that near the fracture region the dependence of the microcrack density on the fracture location is close to a parabolic curve, while at a larger distance the density values saturate and hardly change. The dependence of the average scalar dislocation density on distance is somewhat different: it is nearly linear. It is shown that the cellular and cellular-network DSSs represent material strengthening structures, which gives rise to an increase in the strain value at which cracking and subsequent fracture would occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a key technology for the individualized and resource-efficient production of structural components. Recent developments in manufacturing technologies enable improved quality of additively manufactured components and therefore they become more and more important in lightweight constructions. An example is the substitution of solid material by porous lattice structures. Those embedded lattice structures lead to highly weight-efficient structures. Most recent investigations focus on numerical and experimental studies to describe the mechanical behavior of lattice structures. In this paper, a method to determine analytical expressions for the axial stiffness properties of lattice structures is presented. The displacement method and direct stiffness method are used to derive symbolic parameter-dependent formulas for the axial stiffnesses and effective Young's moduli for f2cc,z, and bcc unit cells. Furthermore, an empirical approach based on Finite Element simulations is presented to describe the stiffness reduction for non-embedded or rather free lattice structures. The results are further validated by physical experiments. Stereolithography is used for specimen production. f2cc,z, and bcc lattice structures are embedded in thin-walled rectangular aluminum tubes and tested under compression load. Furthermore, lattices without a surrounding tube are tested. The analytical and empirical solutions are in good agreement with the experimental and numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the neutrality in the framework of the average-atom model. It is shown that it is difficult to ensure the local neutrality inside the Wigner–Seitz sphere and the global neutrality inside all space. If we keep the neutrality of the Wigner–Seitz sphere, there is a small excess or deficit of charge in all space. Numerical examples are given for aluminum, iron, molybdenum, and gold for various compressions as a function of temperature. The small excess or deficit of charge in all space is noticeable in the warm dense matter regime. At high temperature, the neutrality inside the Wigner–Seitz sphere and in all space is restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the comprehension of the corrosion mechanism of refractories induced by molten slag, a 2D numerical model was developed in the present work. This model simulates the penetration of CaO–Al2O3–MeO slag into Al2O3–MgO refractory, considering capillary forces, as well as viscous and inertial resistances within the porous matrix acting on the molten slag. Experimental observations and measurements were conducted to validate the accuracy of the model. Through simulation, we visually represented the slag penetration process, highlighting the metamorphic reaction resulting from the diffusion of slag components. Notably, small aggregate particles had minimal impact on slag penetration. Instead, they were entirely enveloped by molten slag, subsequently peeling off from the refractory. The depth of penetration (αslag = 0.05, αslag represents the volume fraction of liquid slag) exceeded three times the corrosion depth (αslag = 0.99). Within the region penetrated by molten slag, a portion of the refractory matrix underwent metamorphosis into the liquidus phase. Significantly, reducing porosity emerged as an effective strategy to control molten slag penetration. A 44.7 pct reduction in corrosion depth was achieved by decreasing porosity from 0.28 to 0.14. This numerical model offers valuable insights into the factors influencing refractory corrosion and presents a quantitative approach for optimizing refractory designs to enhance resistance against slag penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Al (dual) batteries are mainly based on graphite cathode materials. Besides this material, the limited life cycle and the rate performance of other possible cathode materials have hampered the development of practical and sustainable rechargeable aluminium batteries (RABs). Herein, we report an organic A4‐metal‐free porphyrin system bearing diphenylamimo‐phenyl functional units as an Al‐storage cathode material, which is capable of delivering a reversible capacity of 83 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 200 cycles and displays a good cycling stability. Achieving such high rate performance opens a pathway to developing practical sustainable cathodes for aluminium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combustion foaming process enables the fabrication of closed-cell porous intermetallics by utilizing the combustion reactions generating a large amount of heat. A closed-cell porous Al3Ti (D022 crystal structure) fabricated by the combustion foaming process has a lightweight, high stiffness, high melting temperature, and good oxidation resistance but exhibits brittleness due to the poor deformability of Al3Ti. It is known that the addition of third elements (X = Cr, Mn, Fe, etc.) changes the crystal structures from D022 to L12, resulting in an improvement in the deformability in the case of dense materials. In the present study, an attempt was made to fabricate the closed-cell porous (Al, Fe)3Ti with an L12-ordered crystal structure through the combustion foaming. The effect of the amount of the exothermic agent, which was added to control the reaction heat of combustion foaming, on the porosity, pore morphology, microstructure, and constituent phases was investigated. The closed-cell porous L12-(Al, Fe)3Ti without any intermediate phases was successfully fabricated when the exothermic agent was added over 5 vol%. The porosity reached the maximum at approximately 80% when the exothermic agent of 10 vol% was added. The TiB2 particles, which were formed by the reactions of the exothermic agent, were aggregated in the porous sample with the exothermic agent of 5 vol% but uniformly dispersed in the porous samples foamed with the exothermic agent over 10 vol%. Based on the results above and the temperature measurements during the combustion foaming, it is important for fabricating highly porous L12-(Al, Fe)3Ti with the uniform microstructure to control the maximum temperature just above the liquidus temperature of (Al, Fe)3Ti. This study provides new insights into the hierarchical control of porous materials with the desired pore structures and cell wall materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the fabrication, wear characterization, and coefficient of friction (COF) prediction of open-cell AlSn6Cu–Al2O3 composites obtained by a liquid-state processing technique. Focusing on wear behavior under varying loads using the pin-on-disk method, this research characterizes microstructure and phase composition via SEM, EDS, and XRD analyses. A novel aspect of this research is the application of an LSTM recurrent neural network model for the fast and accurate prediction of the COF of the composites, eliminating the need for extensive experimental work. Additionally, feature importance analysis using Random Forest regressors is conducted to ascertain the relative contribution of each input variable to the output variable, enhancing our understanding of the wear mechanisms in these materials. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the composite's reinforcement in improving wear resistance, highlighting the critical role of mechanical stress and the reinforcement's hardness in the wear process. The quantitative findings related to the wear behavior include a mass-wear reduction in the open-cell AlSn6Cu–Al2O3 composite from 8.05 mg to 1.90 mg at 50 N and a decrease from 17.55 mg to 8.10 mg at 100 N, demonstrating the Al2O3 particles' effectiveness in improving wear resistance under different loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the low-velocity impact and lightweight design of the square conical gradient aluminium foam-filled automobile energy-absorbing boxes (EABes) is numerically studied. Firstly, the validity of the finite element calculation model is verified by comparing with the experimental results. Then, the influences of the conical bottom angle, tube-wall thickness, the number, position, height and depth of induction grooves, and the parameters of gradient foam on the energy absorption properties of the EABes under axial low-velocity impact are studied. After that, the mitigation and energy absorption of square conical gradient aluminium foam-filled automobile EAB are optimised. The results indicate that the aluminium tube-wall thickness has no obvious effect on improving the energy absorption properties of the EAB, and other factors have good effects on improving the energy absorption properties of the EAB. Compared with the constant cross-section EAB before optimisation, the peak impact force (Fmax) of the finally optimised square conical gradient aluminium foam-filled automobile EAB reduces by 22.4%, and the specific energy absorption (SEA) increases by 59.8%. The investigation is helpful for the design of the square conical gradient aluminium foam-filled automobile EAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the Ansys Fluent® computational fluid dynamics code in conjunction with a volume of fluid multiphase model and phase-change model to analyze the flow boiling evaporation heat transfer coefficient and flow patterns of R32 and R1234yf with Al2O3 nanoparticle through the U-bend tube with a curvature ratio for downward-oriented flow. The volume of fluid (VOF) model was used to follow the patterns at the interface, while the SST k-omega model was used to simulate the gas-liquid flow. This work has been validated by utilizing a R134a refrigerant. Simulations were performed at various mass fluxes, vapor qualities, and temperatures to determine the effects of these variables on heat transfer and frictional pressure decrease in the tube. R1234yf shows much better performance than the other pure refrigerants in terms of heat transfer and vaporization. The addition of nanoparticle Al2O3 with the refrigerants R32 and R1234yf significantly improved the heat transfer coefficient and increased the vapor fraction. The frictional pressure drop increases with increasing mass flux and decreases with increasing vapor quality due to a significant decrease in the liquid film thickness. The heat transfer coefficient, on the other hand, increases with increasing mass flux and decreases with vapor quality up to a point. There are certain changes in the heat transfer coefficient at the bend. After the bend, the frictional pressure drop increased at a higher rate than before the bend, and the vapor fraction increased at a higher rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-sized silicon anodes can significantly increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries with low cost. However, the large silicon volume changes during cycling cause cracks for both organic-inorganic interphases and silicon particles. The liquid electrolytes further penetrate the cracked silicon particles and reform the interphases, resulting in huge electrode swelling and quick capacity decay. Here we resolve these challenges by designing a high-voltage electrolyte that forms silicon-phobic interphases with weak bonding to lithium-silicon alloys. The designed electrolyte enables micro-sized silicon anodes (5 µm, 4.1 mAh cm−2) to achieve a Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% and capacity of 2175 mAh g−1 for >250 cycles and enable 100 mAh LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 pouch full cells to deliver a high capacity of 172 mAh g−1 for 120 cycles with Coulombic efficiency of >99.9%. The high-voltage electrolytes that are capable of forming silicon-phobic interphases pave new ways for the commercialization of lithium-ion batteries using micro-sized silicon anodes. Micro-sized silicon are promising anode materials due to low-cost and high-energy, yet their application is hindered by inaccessible electrolytes. Here, the authors report sulfolane-based electrolytes that form silicon-phobic interphases and enable high-voltage pouch cells to achieve superior cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardness of nanostructured metallic multilayers (NMMs) are often understood from their dependence on individual layer thickness (h), yet little is known about the impacts exerted by other microstructural factors. In this work, the effects of residual stress and interface coherency on the deformation mechanisms of Al/Ti NMMs with h = 2.5–52 nm were studied via experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. The residual stress was found to be tensile in Ti layers and compressive in Al layers in general, both of which tended to increase with decreasing h. Tensile stress of more than 2 GPa were measured in the Ti layers at h < 10 nm. Such high stress was related to the more coherent interfaces at small h, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations showed that at h = 2.5 nm, the coherent interfaces were more effective barriers to dislocation initiation and transfer than the incoherent ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of lithium–sulfur battery cathode materials while simultaneously achieving high areal sulfur‐loading, adequate sulfur utilization, efficient polysulfides inhibition, rapid ion diffusion, etc. remains a major challenge. Herein, an internal regulatory strategy to fabricate the unique walnut‐like yolk–shell carbon flower@carbon nanospheres is presented (WSYCS) as sulfur hosts. The internal carbon flower, suitable cavity, and external carbon layer effectively disperse the insulate sulfur, accommodate volumetric expansion, and confine polysulfides, thus improving the performance of lithium–sulfur batteries. The finite element simulation method also deduces the enhanced Li+ diffusion and lithium–sulfur reaction kinetics. More importantly, WSYCS2 is grafted onto carbon fiber (CF) by electro‐spinning method to form a tandem WSYCS2@CF 3D film as a sulfur host for the free‐standing electrode. The corresponding battery exhibits an extremely high areal capacity of 15.5 mAh cm−2 with a sulfur loading of 13.4 mg cm−2. Particularly, the flexible lithium–sulfur pouch cell delivers a high capacity of 8.1 mAh cm−2 and excellent capacity retention of 65% over 800 cycles at a relatively high rate of 1C, corresponding to a calculated energy density of 539 Wh kg−1 and 591 Wh L−1. This work not only provides guidance for tailoring thick carbon/sulfur electrodes but also boosts the development of practical lithium–sulfur batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al-based foams have drawn increasing attention from industry due to their integration of structure and functional properties. However, large-sized Al-based foams still cannot be homogeneously strengthened by long-time aging due to their low thermal conductivity. In this study, we proposed an age-hardening approach that was applied in large-sized Al-0.16Sc-0.17Zr (wt.%) foams via micro-alloying with Zr and Ti compared with Al-0.21Sc foams; it not only achieved homogeneous strength by long-term aging but also reduced the cost of the alloy by substituting Zr and Ti for the more expensive Sc content. The results show that the Al3(Sc, Zr, Ti) phase with a core–shell structure as a crucial precipitation strengthening phase by micro-alloying with Zr and Ti was less prone to coarsening after a prolonged aging heat treatment. Therefore, the yielding strength of Al-Sc foam micro-alloying with Zr and Ti remained almost unchanged after a maximum aging time of 1440 h due to less coarsening precipitate, which is consistent with the results of mechanical experiments. These findings provide a new way for the heat treatment strengthening of large-sized Al-based foams, thus promoting their industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight design and hybrid components enable innovative and new component concepts, especially when combining structurally reliable metal components with individualized polymer components. In this research, a process for additive manufacturing polymers on the surface of extruded aluminum profiles is examined. The extrusion process is adapted to produce foamable aluminum profiles, which can be utilized to enable a form fit between the two materials and ensures sufficient bond strength. For this purpose, a novel aluminum block material based on the standard wrought alloy EN AW-6082 was developed. It consists of a solid EN AW-6082 core and powder metallurgically produced outer layer, which allows local foaming of the aluminum profile surface. The main objective of this study was to optimize the bond strength of the hybrid aluminum-polymer components. The methods employed include fabricating aluminum test specimens, performing mechanical tests, x-ray microscopy to analyze the pore structure and evaluating the 3D pore distribution and the wall thickness. Virtual foam models were created to numerically investigate suitable pore sizes and foam geometries for form-fit with the polymer. The porosity achieved as a function of the processing of the components are discussed and a comparison is made between the real and virtual pore structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of CaF2-Al2O3-TiO2 welding fluxes with TiO2 content from 20 to 60 wt.% were applied to join EH36 shipbuilding steel under high heat input submerged arc welding. The effect of TiO2 content on Charpy impact energy, inclusion characteristics, microstructure features, and chemical compositions of weld metals were systematically investigated. A maximum Charpy impact energy of 81.67 J was detected for the weld metal treated by the flux with 50 wt.% TiO2. Such unusual behavior was consistent with the initially increased and subsequently decreased changing trend for the faction of acicular ferrite, which is closely related to the formation, number density, and size distribution of significantly populated TiO2-containing inclusions that were largely dictated by the transfer of O and Ti. Current findings may serve as a viable way of tuning weld metal properties enabled by optimized flux designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, free vibration characteristics of functionally graded metal foam doubly curved panels reinforced with graphene platelets and with porosities have been surveyed. Halpin Tsai's approach is utilized for extracting the effective Young modulus of porous metal foam nanocomposite and also the effective density of nanocomposite porous doubly curved shell panel is estimated by using an extended rule of mixture. The FSDT hypothesis is utilized for determining the displacement field and the Finite element and Hamilton principle are utilized for deriving the mass and stiffness matrices of the structure. Finally, the influences of several variables such as porosity distribution, porosity coefficient, GPL dispersion pattern, the weight fraction of Nanofillers, and span angles on the free vibrations characteristics of doubly curved shell panels with FG porosities and reinforced by graphene platelet have been reported in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum−sulfur (Al−S) batteries are promising energy storage devices due to their high theoretical capacity, low cost, and high safety. However, the high viscosity and inferior ion transport of conventionally used ionic liquid electrolytes (ILEs) limit the kinetics of Al−S batteries, especially at sub‐zero temperatures. Herein, locally concentrated ionic liquid electrolytes (LCILE) formed via diluting the ILEs with non‐solvating 1,2‐difluorobenzene (dFBn) co‐solvent are proposed for wide‐temperature‐range Al−S batteries. The addition of dFBn effectively promotes the fluidity and ionic conductivity without affecting the AlCl4−/Al2Cl7− equilibrium, which preserves the reversible stripping/plating of aluminum and further promotes the overall kinetics of Al−S batteries. As a result, Al−S cells employing the LCILE exhibit higher specific capacity, better cyclability, and lower polarization with respect to the neat ILE in a wide temperature range from −20 to 40 °C. For instance, Al−S batteries employing the LCILE sustain a remarkable capacity of 507 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 20 °C, while only 229 mAh g−1 is delivered with the dFBn‐free electrolyte under the same condition. This work demonstrates the favorable use of LCILEs for wide‐temperature Al−S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the performance of materials, we employ first-principles techniques based on density functional theory (DFT) implemented in the Wien 2k code to study perovskites Ba3CaAx2O9. We used the Birch-Murnaghan fit, tolerance factor, and formation energy to determine the structural stability of these materials. Structurally stable compounds Ba3CaAx2O9 have a tolerance factor of 0.7, 1.1, and 0.9, respectively, and a formation energy of −3.04 eV, −1.98, and −1.12 eV. We used the proposed mBJ+U potential to assess the properties of the present materials, providing insight into their nature. Band gaps of 1.5–3.2 eV for Ba3CaAx2O9 (Ax = Nb, Mo, Rh) indicate that they are indirect semiconductors. We also calculate the density of states (DOS) for both materials, and our results for the energies of the band gaps agree with those from the band structure. Absorption and optical conduction are observed to occur in the UV region, and all investigated materials are transparent to low-energy photons. Our investigation into the optical characteristics of these materials suggests they could be promising candidates for application in optoelectronic devices. Finally, the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, power factor, and figure of merit have been calculated to investigate the thermoelectric efficiency of the triple perovskites based on semi-classical Boltzmann theory. The findings suggest that triple perovskites may be a promising candidate for optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to explore crashworthiness of square aluminum/CFRP tubes with different hybrid schemes under quasi-static axial loading condition, and maximize their crashworthiness by performing multi-objective discrete robust optimization design. In the present study, metal/CFRP hybrid tubes with two hybrid schemes and their corresponding individual tubes are manufactured. The crushing process and crashworthiness indictors of all specimens are experimentally investigated under quasi-static axial crushing load. According to the experimental results, the AC hybrid tubes, made of outer aluminum square tube and internally adhered CFRP layers, show excellent energy-absorbing characteristics. Subsequently, numerical simulations are performed for the AC hybrid tubes to further investigate the effects of aluminum wall thickness, CFRP layer number and ply orientation on the energy-absorbing characteristics. It is found that the total energy absorption increases with the increasing tubal wall thickness of aluminum and CFRP layer, and ply orientation makes great contribution to the overall deformation modes and energy-absorbing characteristics of AC hybrid structures. Finally, a multi-objective discrete robust optimization has been conducted to optimize AC hybrid structures for the optimal crashworthy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum foam has relatively low tensile and flexural strengths because it is composed of many pores with thin cell walls. One method of strengthening aluminum foam is to fabricate a composite material with a dense lightweight resin. In this study, the fabrication of composite materials by directly printing resin on an aluminum foam surface using a 3D printer was attempted. The resin was directly printed on both heated and unheated aluminum foam. It was shown that composite materials consisting of aluminum foam and resin can be fabricated by directly printing resin with a 3D printer on both heated and unheated aluminum foam. The resin was softened during the printing process in the case of directly printed resin on heated aluminum foam, allowing more resin to penetrate into the pores than in the case of directly printed resin on unheated aluminum foam. In addition, it was shown that resin can be directly printed on the aluminum foam with a high bonding strength, as a large amount of resin penetrated into the pores, resulting in an anchor effect. That is, composite materials consisting of aluminum foam and arbitrary-shaped resin with relatively high bonding strength can be fabricated when a large amount of resin is allowed to penetrate into the pore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protective steel doors are widely used in buildings due to their high resistance against the impact loads. However, its heavy weight has been always considered as a major drawback for these doors. In this paper, a new optimized stiffened impact-protective steel door incorporating sandwich panel with aluminum foam core (OSSA) is examined. This door consists of two face sheets, main and secondary stiffeners, and aluminum foam as the inner core. In order to optimize the door, at first the rigidity and weight functions of the stiffened steel door were extracted. Then an optimal door weighing 42% less than the primary door was obtained. Due to the high energy absorption capacity of the combined foam core and stiffened steel door structure, the use of aluminum foam core in the optimized steel door was proposed. By doing numerical analysis, and depending on the thickness of the face sheet of OSSA, 20 to 32% reduction in the maximum displacement was observed. The results also showed that, with 67% increase in the peak overpressure, OSSA has kept almost the same maximum displacement as that of the steel door without an aluminum foam. In other words, by using aluminum foam core in the optimized stiffened door, the door will resist 67% more impact load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-profile ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna for double-sided anti-metal applications is proposed. The antenna comprises a middle layer of radiation patch, which is sandwiched between two layers of foam substrates, each with a thickness of 0.5 mm, and flanked by two layers of ground plane. A rectangular loop is designed on the radiation patch to expand the frequency band and optimize impedance matching. Particularly, one side of the radiation patch is shorted to the ground through a slotted stub to reduce the antenna size. The tag antenna is compact with a dimension of 38 mm × 20 mm × 1.15 mm (0.1159λ×0.061λ×0.0035λ at 915 MHz). When the two ground planes are individually mounted on metallic objects, the read distances are 5.4 m and 5.2 m, respectively. The proposed tag antenna demonstrates double-sided metal resistance, making it highly suitable for use in the industrial internet of things field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study is to simulate erosion on the aluminium plate with a cylindrical hole caused by solid particles after passing through 90° elbow, using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), and erosion equations. Discrete trajectories of solid particles are calculated using the Lagrangian approach, while the simulation of the fluid was obtained by solving the fluid motion equation using the Eulerian approach. Supplementary sub-models are incorporated into the software to enhance the accuracy of particle trajectory calculations within the simulated geometry. These sub-models include collisions of solid particles with walls (stochastic model) and erosion model. The numerical simulation results obtained in this paper were compared with the existing experimental results from the group of authors, demonstrating a good match. The paper provides the main characteristics of the mathematical model, along with the interpretation of results and a discussion, with the key findings highlighted in the conclusion. The findings indicate that erosion process is significantly influenced by both the particle impact velocity and impact angle, which are key parameters in many erosion equations. Furthermore, it is observed that the velocity of the particles is consistently lower than the mean velocity of the air. Additionally, the angle at which the particles impact the aluminium plate is not always exactly 90° due to multiple collisions with the wall, signifying that the particles do not move exclusively vertically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-static uniaxial tension and compression, three-point bending, and Hopkinson bar measurements have been carried out on low-porosity Al/Ni compacts (pressed powders) as well as compacts of the constituent Al and Ni. Concurrently, mesoscale material point method (MPM) simulations of fully resolved Al, Ni, and Al/Ni compact microstructures and engineering scale MPM simulations of homogenized Al/Ni compacts have been conducted. These simulations, in conjunction with the experimental measurements, have allowed us to parameterize mesoscale particle/particle contact models and engineering scale anisotropic damage mechanics models for the materials. The goal of this coordinated experimental and simulation study of Al/Ni and its constituent materials was to better understand their mechanical properties and gain insight into the nature of Al–Ni and Al–Al interfaces in Al/Ni compacts and their impact on mechanical properties of the compacts. We found that brittle tensile failure of Al/Ni compacts was dominated by the strength of the Al–Al interface while ductile compressive behavior of Al/Ni compacts was largely determined by the behavior of the Al phase. The properties of both Al–Al interface and Al phase appear to be altered by the presence of Ni. Finally, it was found that softening resulting from shear damage offset underlying strain hardening of the Al and Ni phases during compressive loading of the Al/Ni compacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the insufficient anti-impact performance of existing components of the energy-absorbing anti-impact support, a foam aluminum filled multicellular square tube structure is proposed. According to the axial energy absorption theory of thin-walled structures filled with foam materials, the formula of average crushing load is obtained. The axial impact simulation of square tube, multicellular square tube and foam aluminum filled multicellular square tube are completed by using ABAQUS/Explicit. On this basis, the impact resistance of ordinary hydraulic column and energy absorbing hydraulic column is analyzed. The results showed that compared with the square tube and multicellular square tube, the foam aluminum filled multicellular square tube has an ideal axisymmetric progressive deformation. The initial load peak value, load bearing-mean and energy absorption are greatly improved, the effective deformation distance is reduced, the load fluctuation is reduced, and the load carrying efficiency is improved. With the increase of foam aluminum filling ratio, the effective deformation distance and energy absorption of the component are reduced. As the porosity of aluminum foam decreases, the force variance decreases, and energy absorption and the load carrying efficiency increase. Aluminum foam-filled multicellular square tube with 60% porosity at 25% filling rate is an ideal energy absorption component. Ordinary column surges after impact load, bending deformation is serious, column relies on its own deformation to absorb energy, supporting effect is poor. After the energy-absorbing column is impacted, the energy absorption component begins to deform and absorb energy. Greatly reduce the load of the column, absorb most of the outside impact energy, avoid the column bending deformation, improve the impact resistance of the support.

In this study, PMI foam and aluminum foam are used as reinforcement materials for filling the cells of carbon fiber-reinforced composite square honeycomb sandwiches (CSHSs), forming two new sandwich structures, namely, PMI foam-reinforced CSHS (PRCSHS) and aluminum foam-reinforced CSHS (AFRCSHS). The impact resistance and residual flexural performance of the composites is compared by using low-velocity impact (LVI) and three-point bending (3 PB) experiments. The different impact energy levels of 25 J, 50 J, 65 J, and 100 J are applied. The impact and bending failure process and failure mechanism are analyzed using a combination of industrial computed tomography (ICT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PRCSHS and AFRCSHS are compared for various enhancement effects and their resulting lightweight features. The residual flexural and impact resistance properties of the two sandwiches improved significantly. Compared with CSHS, the maximum impact load of PRCSHS and AFRCSHS increased by 115.6% and 78.9%, respectively. Moreover, the impact energy absorption, residual flexural load, and residual flexural energy absorption increased by 30.9% and 21.3%, 80.7% and 58.5%, and 173.1% and 84.3%, respectively. The PRCSHS was noticeably lightweight, but AFRCSHS was not sufficiently lightweight. The qualitative results of comparison of the two reinforcement materials in this study can be extended to other carbon fiber-reinforced all-composite 2D honeycomb sandwiches.

Relevance. Mechanical vibrations are a common and technically important process that has a negative acoustic effect on human health and in some cases is a harmful production factor. In devices, the presence of vibration is caused by exciting influences of various physical nature: mechanical, electromagnetic, aerodynamic. The reason for their occurrence are defects in parts and assemblies, the technical principle of the ball bearing device, as well as the coincidence of the operating frequency of the device with natural frequency of the structural elements. Since it is technically impossible to completely eliminate the vibration activity of an electromechanical device, the actual topic of scientific research is the technical task of developing a damping device with determining its effectiveness to reduce the vibration activity of an electromechanical device, thereby minimizing the effects of concomitant harmful production factors on humans. To study this problem, a 3D model of the construction of a solid-state damper based on aluminum foam has been developed, according to which two layouts are made with different depths of cylindrical ducts used to install screws. The results of measuring vibration characteristics showed that the material used as a vibration dampener has damping properties and can be used to reduce the level of vibration activity of an electromechanical device. A comparison of the test results of the solid-state damper layouts showed that using layout No. 1 reduces the vibration amplitude up to 3 times compared with layout No. 2. Object. Fragment of the damping element of the vibration damper of a solid-state damper based on aluminum foam. Aim. To develop a design for a solid-state damper based on aluminum foam and determine the effectiveness of its use to reduce the level of vibration activity of an electromechanical device of the life support system of oil and gas stations. Methods. Modern approaches of vibration diagnostics, computational mathematics and measuring instruments. Results. There is a possibility of creating a solid-state damper based on aluminum foam to solve the problems of reducing the amplitude of vibration in the operating frequency range of the rotor of an electromechanical device compared with the corresponding vibration characteristics without damping elements.

Hybrid foams are a type of composite material created by combining two foam materials. They are preferred in many applications due to their lightweight, high strength, and ability to absorb more energy. In this research, a new hybrid foam was designed for use in sandwich cores of structural materials. The hybrid foam was formed by combining closed-cell aluminum foam and expanded polystyrene (EPS)-filled syntactic foam. The EPS-filled syntactic foams were produced with the conventional mold casting technique. Uniaxial compressive behaviors (0.5 mm/min) of layered hybrid foams consisting of EPS-filled syntactic foam with three different densities and closed-cell aluminum foam were investigated experimentally and compared with conventional single-foamed materials. These results exhibited that in general, layered hybrid foams outperform conventional single-foamed materials in terms of compressive strength. Moreover, the natural frequency and damping ratio of the layered hybrid foams were investigated by vibration tests under clamped-free and free-free boundary conditions and compared to conventional single-foamed materials. It was established that the vibration damping capacity of the layered hybrid foams improved compared to the closed-cell aluminum foam. Additionally, the microstructure of the conventional single-foamed materials was examined by SEM. In the outcome of the research, the experimental results showed that layered hybrid foam provides an opportunity to design lightweight cellular materials with effective mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid substance encircled by a three-dimensional network of voids not interconnected with each other is referred to as close-cell metal foam. The work is based on enhancing mechanical properties of aluminum base close-cell metal foam through the addition of reinforcing particles in varying percentages. Closed-cell aluminum foams with the addition of Mn (0.5 wt.%) and Mg (0, 1, 1.5, 2) were successfully prepared by the melt route method. Al-based metal foam's morphology and mechanical behavior were examined in order to understand the impact of reinforcing elements. From the current work, it is inferred that the addition of reinforcing elements initially helped to increase the compressive strength as found in Foam-1, but further addition of Mg did not have any beneficial effects. It was found that the value of compression strength depends on foam density. The addition of reinforcing elements increases the length of the plateau which in turn increases the value of energy absorption. It is found that proper bonding of reinforcing particles helps in improving energy absorption. From the evaluation, it was found that besides the increase in density and variations in pores uniformity, Al + Mn (0.5wt. %) + Mg (1.5wt. %) Foam (Foam-1) was found to be superior among all other foams. It can also be concluded that by fixing the percentage of Mn by 1 wt%, the best results can be obtained by addition of 1.5 wt. % Mg in the melt. Further addition of Mg shows a detrimental effect on mechanical and physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy-saving separation of CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 in the energy industry facilitates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and replenishes energy resources, but is a challenging separation process. The trade-off between adsorption capacity and selectivity of the adsorbents is one of the key bottlenecks in adsorption separation technologies' large-scale application in the above separation task. Herein, we introduced a series of fluoroborate or fluorosilicate salts (Cu(BF4)2, Zn(BF4)2 and ZnSiF6) into the open coordination nitrogen sites of aluminum-based metal–organic frameworks (MOF-253) to create multiple binding sites to simultaneously enhance the adsorption capacity and selectivity for the target gas. By the synergistic adsorption effect of metal ions (Cu2+ or Zn2+) and fluorinated anions (BF4− or (SiF6)2−), the single-component adsorption capacity and selectivity of salt-modified MOF-253 (MOF-253@Cu(BF4)2, MOF-253@Zn(BF4)2 and MOF-253@ZnSiF6) for CO2 and CH4 were effectively improved when compared to pristine MOF-253 at 298 K and 1 bar. In addition, the salt-modified MOF-253 has a moderate adsorption heat (<30 kJ mol−1) which could be rapidly regenerated at low energy by evacuation desorption. As confirmed by the ambient breakthrough experiments of MOF-253 and MOF-253@ZnSiF6, the real separation performance for both CO2/N2 (1/4) and CH4/N2 (1/4) was obviously improved. This work provides a feasible post-modification strategy on uncoordinated sites of the framework to improve adsorption separation performance and promote the development of ideal adsorbents with a view to realizing their application in the energy industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the fabrication and characterization of aluminum foam reinforced with nanostructured γ-Al2O3, utilizing AA5083 plates. The fabrication process involved the integration of TiH2 foaming agent particles and reinforcing nanoparticles via the friction stir process (FSP), resulting in the creation of precursor specimens. Subsequently, a separate foaming stage was conducted within a laboratory furnace. The integration of these particles was achieved through the machining of parallel grooves in a single aluminum plate. The initial phase of the experimental study focused on investigating the effect of varying amounts of the foaming agent. Large-scale foams were then produced, achieving a medium porosity of 70%. Electro-discharge machining was employed to prepare specimens for compression testing to analyze their stress–strain response. The results revealed a plateau stress of 27 MPa, a relative Young's modulus of 4.44 × 10−3, and an energy absorption close to 17 MJ/m3 at 50% strain. Significantly enhanced plateau stress was observed in the manufactured reinforced aluminum foam compared to similar foams produced through conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]