Development of a technology for the production of reinforced aluminum foam absorbers

The objective of the project was the development and construction of a weight-optimized hybrid material from drapable material (resilient reinforcement preferably made of metallic knitted and/or woven structures) and Aluminum foam for energy absorption. Focus is the application as explosion protection element for buildings. Both structures aluminum foam and knitted/woven metallic structures show low weight related to their volume. Because of their inner structure they are predestined for the use case "energy absorption". During the project, a new composite material made of steel cover sheets, metal wire structures and metal foam has been developed, that is capable to reduce the destructive force of a blast (explosion pressure wave). Depending at the requirements the sandwich panels can be directly fixed or temporarily connected to the building to protect ist structure. Given corresponding application solutions have been developed. The high potential of the hybrid material has been proved within the scope of the joint research project (project number: KF 2039731AG3) funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy following a decision of the German Federal Parliament. The project consortium consisted of the Saxon Textile Research Institute e. V. (STFI), the Drahtweberei Pausa, SMK Ingenieure GmbH & Co. KG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU). It will be concluded in August 2016.