High strain rate compression of cenosphere-pure aluminum syntactic foams

The high strain rate compression behavior of cenosphere-pure aluminum syntactic foams has been studied by comparing it with the results from the quasi-static loading condition. The foams exhibited distinct strain rate sensitivity and the peak strengths increased from similar to 45-75 to similar to 65-120 MPa; the energy absorption capacity also increased by similar to 50-70%. A three-parameter data-fitting equation has been developed to predict the rate-dependent compressive stress at relatively low strains for the syntactic foams. (c) 2007 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.