Metal foam with self-formed skin fabricated by electroforming method

Abstract

A metal foam with the interface-free connection to its skin offers excellent heat transfer, superior mechanical strength and high microstructural stability. This study presents an innovative vacuum-induced electroforming system and a corresponding methodology for fabricating conformal skins on metal foam. The investigation combines COMSOL simulation, experimental characterization, and mechanical property evaluation to elucidate the evolution of electroforming layer distribution and its impact on structural performance. The results demonstrate that extended electroforming duration leads to progressively greater thickness nonuniformity, while reducing current density proves more effective than adjusting anode-to-cathode distance for improving deposition uniformity. Mechanical testing reveals that skin layers exceeding 34.6 ± 2.4 μm in thickness substantially enhance the foam’s mechanical properties, attributable to the establishment of sufficient interfacial bonding sites between the foam struts and skin.