Exploring the Influence of B4Cp Concentration and Strain Rate on the Compressive Loading Behavior of Closed Cell Al2024-B4Cp Composite Foams for Enhanced Energy Absorption Applications

Abstract

Aluminum foams find extensive applications in the automotive, marine, and defence industries, owing to their exceptional properties like high specific strength and the ability to absorb energy effectively under constant stress. In the current study, the aluminum composite foams (ACFs) reinforced with different wt% (n=2,4,6,8 and 10) of B4Cp (21-30µm) have been developed by stir casting method and their compressive properties at quasi-static (0.001s-1), intermediate (1s-1) and dynamic loading (680s-1) have been investigated. The study shows that adding B4Cp up to 8wt% initially increases foam expansion and cell size, followed by a decrease, while relative density and cell wall thickness exhibit the opposite trend. At all tested strain rates, the compressive properties such as peak stress, average plateau stress, and energy absorption capacity show a consistent increase with the rise in B4Cp wt%. The density normalized average plateau stress confirmed the strengthening effect due to B4Cp addition in the foam. The developed aluminum foams exhibit strain rate sensitivity in their average plateau stress.