Production Process and Properties of a Highly Porous Al Alloy Made Using NaCl Droplets as a Space Holder

Porous Al structures have been made using a porogen leaching method but with additional novel steps. In this way, Al-0.25Cu-0.6Si-1.0Mg alloys with interconnected, open cells have been made, with high levels of porosity (up to 89%). The use of 4 to 5 mm diameter sodium chloride droplets combined with interspersion of the metal powder and droplets in the die and dissolution of the salt before sintering was found to enable easier interspersion of the two components, resulting in good connectivity of the beads via the formation of “windows” between the pores, and rapid elimination of salt from the structure. Porous Al with densities in the range of 0.28–0.86 g/cm3 exhibited compressive yield strengths in the range of 0.14 to 7.5 MPa, with no difference being observed between the samples made by this route and by more conventional dissolution of the salt after sintering. These novel steps widen the possibility for porous metal manufacture to other materials, not limited by the need to have a sintering temperature below that for the melting point of salt.