Abstract
Aluminium foam is an isotropic highly porous metallic material with a cellular structure. The essentially spherical and closed pores occupy more than 70% of the total volume. Mechanical and physical properties depend strongly on the density which lies typically in the range of 0.4-1.2 g.cm^-3. Aluminium foam prepared by a powder metallurgical method is very efficient in sound absorption, electromagnetic shielding, impact energy absorption, and vibration damping. It is non-flammable and form-stable at elevated temperature. Aluminium foam is recyclable and thus environmentally friendly. For future industrial applications it offers the combination of apparently concurrent properties in one homogeneous material, thus saving material, energy, and environment. The aim of this paper is to describe selected mechanical and physical properties of this remarkable metallic material and to give an outline for its potential utilisation.

Key words
aluminium foam, mechanical properties, physical properties

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