Reinforced foamed metal
AssigneeEthyl Corporation
InventorsLeonard M. Niebylski, Chester P. Jarema, Thomas E. Lee
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Abstract
Foamed metal articles having reinforcing fibers, such as inorganic fibers; for example, fiberglass, refractory fibers, and metal fibers, dispersed in the foamed metal for strength improvement. Processes of manufacturing such fiber reinforced foamed metal articles are also disclosed.
Claims14
A process for producing a fiber reinforced aluminum-based metal foam, said process comprising dispersing with high speed stirring from about 0.1 to about 25 weight percent, based on the weight of said metal foam, of fibers from about 125 to about 1000 mils in length and having a ratio of length to diameter greater than 50 into a molten metal to be foamed which is aluminum or an aluminum alloy;
- increasing the viscosity of said molten metal by incorporating therein a viscosity-increasing agent selected from the group consisting of air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, water and the inert gases at a temperature of from about 20.degree. to about 90.degree.C above the liquidous point of said molten metal;
- foaming said molten metal by treating the thickened molten metal with a foaming agent which is a metal hydride selected from the group consisting of titanium hydride, zirconium hydride and hafnium hydride;
- and cooling the foamed metal to set said foam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.