Study of a Semisolid Processing Route for Producing an AlSiMg0.5Mn Matrix Syntactic Foam via Thixoinfiltration of Fly Ash Micro Balloons

Metal matrix composites are widely used in modern engineering as a result of the needing for distinct features into the same material, and for presenting such characteristics, the metallic foams have been increasingly used mainly from the mobility industry. Therefore a semisolid processing route for producing an AlSiMg0.5Mn matrix syntactic foam was idealized, by the thixoinfiltration of an industrial waste known as fly ash micro balloons. Preliminary a thorough study of the balloons morphology and chemical composition had been done, as also the AlMg2.5 thixoability through Spectrometry, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The process parameters were defined to obtain a homogeneous pore distribution into the matrix and good wettability of balloons analyzed by x-ray micro tomography (Micro CT) and optical microscopy.