Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of Foam Developed by Friction Stir Tube Deposition Technique

Abstract

This research seeks to create tube-based aluminum foam using friction stir tube deposition (FSTD) process. In this process, AA6063 consumable rods, pre-filled with a mixture of titanium hydride and aluminum powder, are deposited into a hollow mild steel tube using a conventional vertical milling machine. The results indicate that consumable rods with 12 pre-drilled holes ensure a more uniform distribution of the foaming agent. Furthermore, the study shows that increasing the tool’s rotational speed and the weight percentage of titanium hydride results in larger pore sizes and greater porosity. Specifically, for the same TiH₂ composition and rpm levels, the 12-hole filling strategy enhances porosity by 42.62 and 10.12% compared to the 8-hole and 10-hole methods. The optimal process parameters for developing aluminum foam are identified as using consumable rods with 12 holes containing 60% TiH₂ and a rotational speed of 1400 rpm.