Metal foams are desirable for applications such as high-power laser targets and catalysis. Our project set out to synthesize metal foams via additive manufacturing of metallopolymer materials. Metallopolymer nanoparticle networks were synthesized, cast into molds, and sintered to produce metal foams. However, we determined 1) the materials expanded too much due to water content, and 2) they readily oxidize, even within an inert atmosphere. The resulting sintered materials were brittle and deemed unusable as metal foams.
Although the metal foam synthesis was not successful, our results expanded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's expertise in metal foams and enhanced the Laboratory's core competencies in advanced materials and manufacturing and in high-performance computing, simulation, and data science.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory • 7000 East Avenue • Livermore, CA 94550
Operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.