Fabrication of Fe / Al 2 O 3 composite foam by sintering techniques

Abstract

Composite foams of iron and aluminium oxide were prepared by sintering techniques. Al 2 O 3 microsphere powders added during Fe foam formation were used as starting materials. Samples containing various compositions were prepared (Al 2 O 3 microspheres bonding in Fe foam). The metallic porous structure was obtained by sintering on the basis of iron-based powder mixtures with the addition of a copper catalyst and Fe (III) oxide as a space carrier. Sintering was carried out at 1130°C and 50 minutes long, in a dissociated protective gas with ammonia. Observation of the microstructure and phase identification of the synthesized samples was carried out using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS). The porosity of the Fe / Al 2 O 3 composite products for the three different compositions was measured by means of the Cavalleri principle on transverse samples prepared from sintered materials.