Mechanical behaviour and energy absorption of closed-cell aluminium foam panels in uniaxial compression

Thin and thick panels of two types of aluminium closed-cell foams of ∼0.20-0.31 g/cm3 (ALPORAS) and ∼0.32-0.57 g/cm3 (ALULIGHT) density were tested in uniaxial compression and the mechanical properties of the panels, plastic collapse strength, plateau stress and absorbed energy, were extracted. Their dependence on the foam density and specimen thickness was also ascertained. Micro-indentation tests were used to estimate the yield stresses of the parent materials. It was found that the higher density panels of ALULIGHT were also more anisotropic than the lower density panels of ALPORAS, and the collapse strength and the absorbed energy of both foams increased with density. More significant scatter the results was observed in the thin and higher density panels.