The invention relates to a method for producing a metal foam of at least one first metal that contains the main constituent Mg, Al, Pb, Au, Zn, Ti or Fe in a quantity of at least approximately 80 wt. % in relation to the quantity of the at least one first metal, said method comprising the following steps: (I) providing a semi-finished product comprising a foamable mixture that comprises the at least one first metal and at least one foaming agent, (II) submerging the semi-finished product in a heatable bath comprising a liquid, and (III) heating the semi-finished product in the bath in order to foam the foamable mixture by removing gas from the at least one foaming agent for forming the metal foam. The invention also relates to a metal foam, to a composite material that can be obtained by the method, and to a component comprising the metal foam and/or the composite material.

This application provides a battery current collector and a preparation method thereof, a secondary battery, a battery module, a battery pack, and an electric apparatus. The battery current collector includes a foam metal layer (1) and a strength enhancement layer (2), where the strength enhancement layer (2) is a sheet-shaped metal layer, and the strength enhancement layer (2) and the foam metal layer (1) are stacked and metallurgically bonded, alleviating a problem of poor mechanical performance of current collectors in the related art. The strength enhancement layer (2) and the foam metal layer (1) are connected by metallurgical bonding, which helps ensure not only structural strength of the strength enhancement layer (2) and the foam metal layer (1), but also good conductivity between the strength enhancement layer (2) and the foam metal layer (1). Further, the manner of metallurgical bonding helps reduce production costs.

A method for preparing aluminum foam sandwich material by rotating friction extrusion and electromagnetic pulse hybrid process includes: step 1: preparing the filler; step 2: processing the filler to prepare a plurality of preforms; step 3: clamping and fixing the plurality of preforms to form a preform assembly; step 4: welding the panel on the surface of the preform assembly to form an non-foaming sandwich material; step 5: heating and foaming the non-foaming sandwich material through a foaming mold; step 6: insulating the foaming mold after completion of foaming; injecting cooling water into the foaming mold after completion of insulation to maintain pressure and shape, forming the aluminum foam sandwich material of the required shape. The aluminum foam sandwich material produced by this method has good interface bonding, no adverse interface reaction, high bending resistance, impact resistance, and excellent sound absorption and insulation properties.

A method for manufacturing a foam in a conduit comprises extruding a metal conduit. A metal foam powder is injected into a cavity of the metal conduit. The metal foam powder is activated to form a metal foam in the cavity of the metal conduit. A device for producing a foamed metal comprises an extruder that comprises one or more screws for extruding a metal through a die to form a conduit. The die comprises a plurality of ports for injecting a metal foam powder into a central hollow cavity or a wall cavity of the conduit. The device comprises a pressurizing section for increasing pressure on the metal foam powder and a thermal section for increasing the temperature of the metal foam powder to facilitate its expansion into a metal foam.

A method for manufacturing a foam in a conduit comprises extruding a metal conduit. A metal foam powder is injected into a cavity of the metal conduit. The metal foam powder is activated to form a metal foam in the cavity of the metal conduit. A device for producing a foamed metal comprises an extruder that comprises one or more screws for extruding a metal through a die to form a conduit. The die comprises a plurality of ports for injecting a metal foam powder into a central hollow cavity or a wall cavity of the conduit. The device comprises a pressurizing section for increasing pressure on the metal foam powder and a thermal section for increasing the temperature of the metal foam powder to facilitate its expansion into a metal foam.

Processes for tailoring the macroscopic shape, metallic composition, mechanical properties, and pore structure of nanoporous metal foams prepared through combustion synthesis via direct write 3D printing of metal energetic ligand precursor inks made with water and an organic thickening agent are disclosed. Such processes enable production of never before obtainable metal structures with hierarchical porosity, tailorable from the millimeter size regime to the nanometer size regime. Structures produced by these processes have numerous applications including, but not limited to, catalysts, heat exchangers, low density structural materials, biomedical implants, hydrogen storage medium, fuel cells, and batteries.

Methods for preparing a heat pipe are provided. The methods may include forming a metal foam on a surface of a first metal sheet using a slurry, placing the first metal sheet on a second metal sheet, and bonding outer portions of the first and second metal sheets. The surface of the first metal sheet faces the second metal sheet.

The present application relates to a composite material. The present application can provide a composite material having high magnetic permeability and also having excellent mechanical properties such as flexibility. The composite material may be used in various applications, and for example, may be used as an electromagnetic-wave shielding material and the like.

Vehicle structural components and additive manufacturing methods for forming the components are described. The structural components incorporate hydrogen storage materials for use in conjunction with hydrogen fuel cells in electric-powered vehicles such as unmanned aerial vehicles. The hydrogen storage materials can be in the form of a 3D printed metal foam that includes a metal hydride and an inert structural metal. The material can exhibit a very low weight density able to store hydrogen in a low pressure solid-state form at a high energy density. The structural components that carry the hydrogen storage materials can be exchangeable components of a vehicle, and the vehicle can be refueled by merely exchanging an exhausted component for a replacement component that is fully-charged with hydrogen.

The present invention provides a metal foam production method that enables a foaming process to be performed at low cost and enables controlling of the shape of metal foam. According to the present invention, a mold that transmits light and a precursor prepared by mixing a metal with a foaming agent are used, and a metal foam is produced by irradiating the precursor with a light transmitted through the mold to thereby heat and foam the precursor so as to obtain a metal foam, while controlling the shape of the metal foam by the mold.