| abstract |
Materials such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, CO2, and water increase the viscosity of molten aluminum base metals. Molten metals so treated yield superior metal foams when blown with a blowing agent. Typical blowing agents which can be used are zirconium, hafnium, and titanium hydrides. Non-stoichiometric materials, MH2 wherein M is titanium, hafnium or zirconium, and a has the value of about 1.65-1.80 can be used as blowing agents. Such non-stoichiometric materials are made by heating the (substantially) stoichiometric compounds. |