Foaming of metal by the catalyzed and controlled decomposition of zirconium hydride and titanium hydride

摘要

A process of foaming metal and particularly aluminum and its alloys by catalyzing and controlling the solid state decomposition of a material which releases a gas at elevated temperatures comprising mixing a discrete particulate material containing a major proportion of aluminum with zirconium hydride or titanium hydride, heating the resultant compact at a temperature of 850° to 900°F for at least 5 minutes and then adding said compact to a molten metal melt.