Effects of cell size on quasi-static compressive properties of Mg alloy foams

Mg alloy foams with different cell sizes, fixed porosity, and uniform structure were prepared by direct foaming method. The microstructure characteristics and quasi-static compressive behaviors of the foams were investigated. The results showed that the pores in the foams were polygon with the porosity of 87%. Decreasing the cell size is beneficial to eliminating the big cell edges in the foams. The foams with smaller average cell size possess better deformation stability when being compressed. Decrease of the average cell size improves the strength of the foams by sharing the load with more and smaller cells; however too small average cell size can impair the strength because no enough metals hold the integrity of the new cell walls. The densification strain hardly changes with the varying average cell size and fixed porosity.

► Uniform Mg alloy foams were fabricated by direct foaming method.
► The microstructure and mechanical properties were invested.
► The optimum cell size has been confirmed.