The highly porous material metal foam is very light, like the models in nature - e.g. wood and bone. Due to their cellular structure, metal foams are excellent at absorbing vibration or impact energies and also shield electromagnetic waves. Compared to plastic foams, metal foams are usually more stable and temperature-resistant. Depending on the manufacturing process, current aluminum- and zinc-based foams can have densities of less than 0.5 g/cm3. Foam is often offered in combination with steel or aluminum sheets. However, other material combinations are also possible. Due to their high bending stiffness, so-called sandwich constructions can be used in numerous stiffness- and crash-relevant areas. The composite material Pepural is a material combination developed in cooperation with PESTEL-PUR-Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Ko. KG, consisting of an aluminum foam core with cover layers of glass- or carbon-fiber-reinforced polyurethane. Due to these cover layers, it is resistant to chemical influences and moisture. It also has good heat resistance properties. It is used, for example, as a floor panel for commercial vehicles and in reinforced components.
By combining Al foam with fiber-plastic composites, such as glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), it is possible to further increase the degree of lightweight construction compared with conventional metal cover layers. Furthermore, components of complex geometry (different heights) can be produced. Open-cell Al foam has the property of conductivity, which is why it can be used as a material for nickel-based batteries, among other things. It is ideal as a material for heat exchangers or latent heat storage. Its structural properties also allow it to be used in a wide range of design applications, such as partitions, lighting elements or counters.