Processing and structure of open-celled amorphous metal foams

Amorphous metallic foams with an open-cell structure are processed with the salt replication method by infiltration of a sintered salt pattern with liquid Vit106, a Zr-based bulk metallic glass. After pattern removal in nitric acid, the Vit106 foams exhibit highly uniform pores, about 250 μm in size, and relative densities in the range 15-22%. Processing parameters, including pattern selection, sintering, and removal, are investigated.