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Using X-ray tomoscopy to explore the dynamics of foaming metal

Author

Listed:
  • Francisco García-Moreno

    (Institute of Applied Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Paul Hans Kamm

    (Institute of Applied Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Tillmann Robert Neu

    (Institute of Applied Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Felix Bülk

    (Institute of Applied Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Rajmund Mokso

    (MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University)

  • Christian Matthias Schlepütz

    (Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute)

  • Marco Stampanoni

    (Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute
    Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich)

  • John Banhart

    (Institute of Applied Materials, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
    Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin)

Abstract

The complex flow of liquid metal in evolving metallic foams is still poorly understood due to difficulties in studying hot and opaque systems. We apply X-ray tomoscopy –the continuous acquisition of tomographic (3D) images– to clarify key dynamic phenomena in liquid aluminium foam such as nucleation and growth, bubble rearrangements, liquid retraction, coalescence and the rupture of films. Each phenomenon takes place on a typical timescale which we cover by obtaining 208 full tomograms per second over a period of up to one minute. An additional data processing algorithm provides information on the 1 ms scale. Here we show that bubble coalescence is not only caused by gravity-induced drainage, as experiments under weightlessness show, and by stresses caused by foam growth, but also by local pressure peaks caused by the blowing agent. Moreover, details of foam expansion and phenomena such as rupture cascades and film thinning before rupture are quantified. These findings allow us to propose a way to obtain foams with smaller and more equally sized bubbles.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco García-Moreno & Paul Hans Kamm & Tillmann Robert Neu & Felix Bülk & Rajmund Mokso & Christian Matthias Schlepütz & Marco Stampanoni & John Banhart, 2019. "Using X-ray tomoscopy to explore the dynamics of foaming metal," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-11521-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11521-1
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