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Cymat Technologies is an innovative materials technology company based out of
/ref> in the production of stabilized aluminum foam.
/ref> with parallel patents created by Norsk Hydro, "Stabilized Aluminum Foam" is generated in a continuous casting process via direct shop air injection into a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) melt. The MMC comprises an Al-Si cast alloy with a volume of particle in suspension. The purpose of the particle is to provide melt stability and must adhere to the following criteria;
* Consist of Alumina, Titanium diboride,
/ref> The bubbles rise to the surface and the resultant metal foam mixture cast will rise out of the foaming apparatus due to its density relative to that of the molten MMC. As the metallic foam is being cast, it is simultaneously drawn off the surface by, for example, a conveyor belt.Method of producing lightweight foamed metal
/ref> While it is drawn off, it is then cooled and forms a porous metallic structure.
Official Company Website
Alusion Website
Alusion Archdaily Page
How Stuff Works
Mississauga
Mississauga ( ), historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a popul ...
, Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada, and one of the world leadersCymat Technologies/ref> in the production of stabilized aluminum foam.
Business
Cymat Technologies has the worldwide rights, through patents and licenses, to manufacture Stabilized Aluminum Foam (“SAF”). Cymat is focused on producing SAF for architecture, blast mitigation and automotive industries. The company markets architectural SAF under the Alusion™ trademark and automotive and blast mitigation SAF under the SmartMetal™ trademark. Cymat Technologies operates out of its manufacturing plant in Toronto, Canada. The plant can manufacture approximately $50 million in stabilized aluminum foam annually.Process
As described in the patent originally created by AlcanPatent US4973358/ref> with parallel patents created by Norsk Hydro, "Stabilized Aluminum Foam" is generated in a continuous casting process via direct shop air injection into a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) melt. The MMC comprises an Al-Si cast alloy with a volume of particle in suspension. The purpose of the particle is to provide melt stability and must adhere to the following criteria;
* Consist of Alumina, Titanium diboride, Zirconia
Zirconium dioxide (), sometimes known as zirconia (not to be confused with zircon), is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the mineral baddeleyite. A dopant stabi ...
, Silicon Carbide, Silicon nitride or any solid stabilizer materials
* Must compose of less than 25 vol% of the MMC
* Particulate sizes must range from 0.5 μm – 25 μm, preferably in the range of 1 μm to 20 μm
Though it is a controversial topic, it is widely accepted that the presence of the solid particles aid in the "stabilization" of bubbles.M. Mukherjee, ''Evolution of Metal Foams during Solidification'', Page 20, October 14, 2008 It is thought that particulate aids in foam stability via the following mechanisms:
* Increase bulk liquid viscosityS.W. IP, Y. Wang and J.M. Toguri, ''Aluminum Foam Stabilization by Solid Particles'', Page 2, March 30, 1998W. Deqing and S. Ziyuan, ''Effect of Ceramic Particles on Cell Size and Wall Thickness of Aluminum Foam'', May 15, 2003
::*Slows the flow of molten metal through the cell walls to help maintain a stable structure.
* Creates a mechanical disjoining pressureC. Korner, ''Foam Formation Mechanisms in Particle Suspensions applied to Metal Foams'', September 28, 2007
::*A repulsive force which helps to maintain the cell wall thickness between two adjacent cells.
* Reduction in Drainage
::*Presence of particulate in the foam helps to impede the flow of molten metal in the direction of gravity by obstructing the cell walls and sustaining the liquid.
The process for the creation of Stabilized Aluminum Foam and can be broken down into these 4 rudimentary steps:
#Melting
#Air Injection
#Casting
#Solidification
Once the raw MMC is melted, it is then transferred to the foaming apparatus where gas is injected into the melt and dispersed using either rotating impellers or vibrating nozzles.Manufacturing Routes for Metallic Foams/ref> The bubbles rise to the surface and the resultant metal foam mixture cast will rise out of the foaming apparatus due to its density relative to that of the molten MMC. As the metallic foam is being cast, it is simultaneously drawn off the surface by, for example, a conveyor belt.Method of producing lightweight foamed metal
/ref> While it is drawn off, it is then cooled and forms a porous metallic structure.
See also
*Aluminium foam sandwich
Aluminium foam sandwich (AFS) is a sandwich panel product which is made of two metallic dense face sheets and a metal foam core made of an aluminium alloy. AFS is an engineering structural material owing to its stiffness-to-mass ratio and energy a ...
* Composite materials
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
* Metal foam
Regular foamed aluminium
A metal foam is a cellular structure consisting of a solid metal (frequently aluminium) with gas-filled pores comprising a large portion of the volume. The pores can be sealed (closed-cell foam) or interconnected (open-c ...
* Metal matrix composite
External links
Official Company Website
Alusion Website
Alusion Archdaily Page
How Stuff Works
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cymat Technologies Scientific organizations based in Canada Natural Resources Canada Companies based in Mississauga