Energy absorption of foamed metals prepared by a powder metallurgical method

The increasing demands for safety of automobiles lead to a high vehicle weight in many cases. This is in conflict with the further demands for low fuel consumption, e.g. For this reason materials with low specific weight and high energy absorption capability are highly desired. Foamed organic materials have a low specific weight but the amount of energy converted into deformation work is also low because of the insufficient strength of foamed plastics. On the other hand foamed metals - in particular foamed aluminium - exhibit strength values in the required order of magnitude.