Synthesis of syntactic steel foam using mechanical pressure infiltration

► Syntactic steel foams produced by pressure infiltration of thin-walled alumina microspheres. ► Relative density of the steel syntactic foams was 0.54. ► Critical parameters were melt temperature, pressure during infiltration, and microspheres preheating temperature. ► Syntactic foams candidates for energy absorption applications. ► Syntactic steel expected to show higher strengths than aluminum foams.