Effects of specimen aspect ratio on the compressive properties of Mg alloy foam

Closed-cell AZ31 Mg alloy foams were successfully prepared by melt-foaming method. The effects of specimen aspect ratio (the thickness/width ratio, AR) on the compressive properties of closed-cell Mg alloy foams were investigated systematically. The results showed that the length of stress–strain plateau stage extended and ideality energy absorption efficiency improved with the specimen AR increasing and the yield strength decreased. Specimens with the AR = 1.00 possess good combination of yield strength, plateau stage length and compressive stability when compressed under the experiment conditions.

► Closed-cell AZ31 foams were successfully prepared by melt foaming method.
► The effects of AR on compressive properties of Mg alloy foam were studied.
► The optimal specimen’s AR has been obtained.