Fracture and microstructure of open cell aluminum foam

SEM and EDS measurements were used to scrutinize the microstructure of Duocel open cell 6101 aluminum foam in relation to its fracture properties. In-situ SEM tensile tests on the open cell aluminum foam were performed to investigate the different fracture modes of struts and Aramis/Digital Image Correlation software was used to map the strain in individual struts. Observations during tensile tests showed that the microstructure of the struts has a great influence on the fracture behaviour of the foam. In particular AlFeSi-precipitates, which are due to the casting of the 6101 aluminum alloy, and the morphology of the foam alters the fracture mode of the struts in the foam from transgranular to intergranular. Less energy is needed for intergranular fracture of struts and the strain to failure of the foam is decreased due to weak individual struts.