Synthesis and characterization of copper foams through a powder metallurgy route using a compressible and lubricant space-holder material

In the present work, a compressible and lubricating space-holder material commonly known as “acrawax” was used to process Cu foams with various pore sizes and various porosities. The foams were processed without using binders to avoid contamination of their metal matrices. The lubricant space-holder material was found to facilitate more uniform flow and distribution of metal powder around the surface of the space holder. In addition, the use of acrawax as a space-holder material yielded considerably dense cell walls, which are an essential prerequisite for better material properties. The foams processed with a smaller-sized space holder were found to exhibit better electrical and mechanical properties than those processed with a coarser-sized space holder. The isotropic pore shape, uniform pore distribution throughout the metal matrix, and uniform cell wall thickness were found to enhance the properties pertaining to fine-pore foam samples. The processed foams exhibit properties similar to those of the foams processed through the lost-carbonate sintering process.