Международна научна конференция “УНИТЕХ’10” – Габрово II-197 ‘ 10 INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE 19 – 20 November 2010, GABROVO EFFECT OF SiCp ON COMPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR OF COMPOSITE METAL FOAM Nilhan ÜRKMEZ TAŞKIN Trakya University Vedat TAŞKIN Metin AYDOĞDU Pınar Aydan DEMİRHAN İsmail MUTLU Trakya University Trakya University Trakya University Trakya University Abstract In this study, the effect of size and fraction of SiCp on compressive behavior of composite metal foam were investigated. Compare to the same relative density of composite foam, plateau stress and energy absorption increased with increasing fraction of SiCp. Keywords: Composite metal foam, SiC, semi-solid, direct foaming INTRODUCTION With high porosity metal foam materials for various engineering applications has been a new class of materials, has attracted attention with useful features. The most important features of cellular metallic materials is lightweight, high strength and relatively non- linear deformation behavior [11]. Due to high porosity large amount of energy was damped when they are deformed [2]. Because of the high strength and light weight, composite metal foam was attractive for many industries especially automotive. Although mechanical properties of metallic foam are proportional with foamed solid metal; it varies depending on several criteria as production method, production parameters, density, cell wall thickness and pore distribution. Many studies of metal foam, the most important factor affecting the mechanical properties of the foam showed that the relative density ( ρ/ρ s ) [3, 7, 8 ] . Using different production methods and/or changing production parameters (temperature, reinforcement ratio and foaming time) metal foam production is possible to perform with desired relative density. Also elastic modulus, compressive strength and plateau stress is decreased, reduction in the relative density is obtained more lightweight structure. If the metal foam is failed to provide the desired mechanical properties adding reinforcement in mixture during production can improve mechanical properties. In recent works, comparing with metal and composite foam has same relative density was seen In recent works; comparing the metal and composite foam with the same relative density, it can be seen that mechanical properties such as the elasticity modulus, compressive stress and plateau stress of composite foam is higher than the metal one [11, 5]. The relation between plateau stress of closed cell composite foam under compressive loading and yield stress of foamed solid metal was described by Gibson summarize as [7]: (1) It is known that foam materials have three deformation stages under compressive loading. First deformation stage was seen on linear elastic region corresponding to Hooke’s Law. Second deformation stage is called collapse plateau region. On this region after achieving yield point, was not seen increasing on stress. Last stage of deformation is densification. On this region collapsed cells cause cell wall stacking on each other. Porosity becomes decrease and deformation of foam material likes as a solid.