Mechanical properties of martensitic Cu–Zn–Al foams in the pseudoelastic regime

The mechanical properties of martensitic Cu–Zn–Al foams produced through molten metal infiltration of a leachable bed of silica gel were investigated. The novel porous shape memory alloy almost reversibly absorbs compression deformations up to 4%. Intergranular fracture occurs in the material along the test, similar to what is observed in polycrystalline solid samples. Despite its tendency to fracture at localized regions, the material is highly resilient, being able to stand several compression cycles. The Cu–Zn–Al foams showed excellent shape recovery after deformation (95%). This previous fact establishes it as a very promising candidate for interesting applications.