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  Georgy, K.; Koundinya, N.T.B.N.; Neu, T.R.; García-Moreno, F.; Mukherjee, M.; Kottada, R.S.: First report of exploiting processing maps for producing metal foams of AlSiMg alloys. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 1038 (2025), p. 182805/1-13

10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.182805

Abstract:
Mass production of large-sized metal foam precursors manufactured by powder metallurgy is challenging due to the limitations imposed by the pressing tools used for compacting the foamable precursors. Thus, understanding the deformability of three foamable AlSiMg alloys has been the focus of this investigation. Hot deformation studies were performed on AlSi13Mg5, AlSi13Mg10, and AlSi8Mg4 (in wt%) alloys in the temperature range of 300–450 °C and in the strain rate range of 10−3–10 s−1. Based on the analysis of the mechanical data, processing maps were generated for all three alloys. Optimum and safe processable windows of temperature and strain rate for the three alloy precursors were identified based on their respective processing maps, together with the post-deformation microstructures. Among the three alloys studied here, the alloys containing 4 and 5 wt% Mg were found suitable for hot deformation without cracking and devoid of macroscopic defects. Furthermore, as a validation of the present analysis and processing maps approach for foams, the foamability of all the alloys after hot deformation was investigated. Such a validation exercise involved conducting foaming experiments on hot-extruded alloy precursors, which were tracked via X-ray radioscopy and analysis of the porous structure of foams was performed by employing X-ray tomography. Both AlSi13Mg5 and AlSi8Mg4 alloys were found to be foamable after hot deformation.