Assessment of Aging Cycle for Coupering Its Aluminum Composite Foams with (A356-4% Cu) and A356 Foam Mechanical Behavior

Metal foams as an advanced material show many interesting properties which is the reason for their wide use in industries. The properties and technology of metal foams are developing and improving. In this investigation aluminum-A356 foam was produced by melting process at first step and then it was prepared for aging process by making an alloy of 4%wt. Cu. The results were shown that, solution process at 510 °C for 12 hours and then quenching in cold water, carrying on the process by aging at 160 °C for 3 hours gave rise to best mechanical properties for A356-4%wt.Cu. The yield strength of the A356-4%wt.Cu and the aged A356-4%wt.Cu were compared which presented a change from 10 to 27 MPa, about 170% yield strength increase. The energy absorption, was measured by uniaxial compressive loading, it was shown an increase of about 185% for the aged alloy in comparison to non-heat-treated specimen. Elastic modulus characteristic for the above mentioned alloy had not considerably changed in comparison to other cycles with lower solution and aging time and was between 10 to 11 GPa. Comparison of foam cell structure before and after the compression test was shown that 4% Cu was contribute to make spherical factor to be almost equal to 1 and also the cell structure was more homogeneous rather than the A356 foam. As a final result the internal surface shrinkage was disappearing by adding 4%wt.Cu