High porosity metallic materials are designed for special properties, which can be used in many industrial applications. The development of new porous structures is a challenge for materials scientists. This paper discusses general characteristics, structure, properties and some manufacturing practices of a class of relatively new metallic materials named gasars, ordered porosity materials, or lotus type porous materials. An overview of the metals and alloys used and mechanical properties studied is presented. Some relations between structure characteristics and mechanical properties are discussed. Basic relations between processing parameters and structure characteristics are analysed. Special attention is paid to the complex physical phenomena in ordered porosity structure formation. Conditions for production of high porosity ingot are discussed.
List of symbolsA, A9 constants in Sievert's law, K B, B9 constants in Sievert's law, mol m 23 Pa 21/2 C E eutectic concentration, mol m 23 C L gas concentration in liquid, mol m 23 C S gas concentration in solid, mol m 23 C 0 initial gas concentration in melt, mol m 23 C * maximum gas concentration in melt at solid/ liquid interface, mol m 23 F 1 empirical parameter, dimensionless g acceleration of gravity (9.81), m s 22 k distribution coefficient (k5C S /C L ), dimensionless K L , K S coefficients, mol m 23 Pa 21/2 p porosity, dimensionless p eff effective pressure (p eff 5F 2 1 P H ), Pa p M partial gas pressure, Pa Dp b driving force (Dp b 5p M 2p eff ), Pa P pressure in gas bubble, Pa P 1 , P 2 pressures, Pa P Ar partial gas (Ar) pressure in surrounding atmosphere, Pa P hyd hydrostatic pressure in melt (P hyd 5rgh), Pa P H partial gas (H 2 ) pressure in surrounding atmosphere, Pa P tot total pressure in melt (P tot 5P H zP Ar zP hyd ), Pa DP pressure drop across curved meniscus in equilibrium (DP5P 2 2P 1 ), Pa Q constant (P Ar /P H ), dimensionless R radius of curvature, m R b radius of bubble, m R P radius of conical pit at the level of meniscus, m R 0 critical radius, m S l relative part of bubble surface contacting with liquid, dimensionless S s relative part of bubble surface contacting with solid, dimensionless T temperature, K T m melting point of metal, K n b velocity of bubble movement, m s 21 v cr solidification front velocity, m s 21 g melt viscosity, Pa s r melt density, kg m 23 r g gas density, kg m 23 r s solid copper density, kg m 23 r * gasar ingot density, kg m 23 s surface energy, J m 22 s gl surface tension for gas/liquid interfaces, J m 22 s gs surface tension for gas/solid interfaces, J m 22 s y yield strength, MPa s UTS ultimate tensile strength, MPa h C half angle of conical pit, u h W contact angle of melt on solid inclusion, u