Permeability of open-pore microcellular materials

A simple microstructure-based model is proposed for the permeability of open-pore microcellular materials. The permeability of aluminium open-pore foams produced using the replication process is measured using water or glycerine as the fluid, varying the average cell size (75 and 400 (mu)m) and the relative density from 12% to 32%. Data show the expected dependence on the square of the pore size and agree with other experimental data in the literature for coarser aluminium foams produced by a casting process. The analysis agrees well with present and published experimental data over the entire density range. The model also agrees with the predictions of Du Plessis et al. for low-density foams.