Melt Infiltration Processing of Foams Using Glass-Forming Alloys

Processing of foams from bulk metallic glass (BMG) alloys, using melt infiltration techniques, is reported for the first time. Foaming methods based on infiltration of two types of pattern materials are described: investment of a continuous refractory yielding very low relative density structures (5% dense relative to the BMG), and investment of a discontinuous refractory pellet bed yielding higher relative density (50-60% dense relative to the BMG). Both methods are capable of producing foam structures; however high surface area and diminished thermal conductivity, especially in lower density structures, make vitrification of the alloy difficult.