Metal foam evolution studied by synchrotron radioscopy

High-intensity synchrotron x-ray radioscopy was used to obtain real-time images of foaming metals, thus allowing the formation, growth, and decay of such systems to be studied. Bubble generation, foam coalescence and drainage of an aluminum-based alloy foam were investigated. Although the foaming process appears to be very similar to the formation of aqueous foams, the observed rupture behavior of thin metal films suggests that the processes responsible for metal foam stabilization and destabilization must be quite different. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.