A Facile Technique to Produce Open Cell Titanium Foams

Nature prefers open cell order in most structures such as trees and skeletons. Engineers have been imitating the nature, to obtain high specific strength, to transfer heat, energy absorbance and filtering for various applications such as filters, heat exchangers, impact absorbers, bone implants. Although ceramic foams have been produced and used as heat shields and filters, recently a great effort has been put on metallic foams produced from aluminium, copper, iron, stainless steel, nickel and titanium. Studies on open cell structured titanium foams are steps forward among these materials due its good biocompatibility and high specific strength. In this study, open cell titanium foams are produced utilizing polymer impregnation process accompanied by a facile sintering method. In traditional foam making, long sintering durations reduce the efficiency as far as cost and delivery time for producers. In order to overcome these problems, an alternative solution is made in the production of open cell titanium foams. A facile method is designed to sinter the impregnated polymers by using induction heating. Titanium foams with open cell structures are successfully produced. SEM, XRD, metallographic characterizations are performed. Average hardness value is calculated as 815.093 ± 6.59 Hv_0.1.