Abstract

This article is intended to review methods of producing foamed materials in space. Patents and papers will be reviewed which discuss various approaches to producing foamed materials on the ground and in space as well as other microgravity processing techniques. The physics of foam formation will be briefly discussed as well as foam structure. Different methods of foam formation primarily with metals and in particular with aluminum will be discussed. Finally, two patents for producing foamed materials in space developed by the author will be discussed in detail.

Keywords: Foamed material, space processing, aluminum, glass, ceramics, meteorites, Ostwald ripening, Gibb's effect, cell forming gas, fabrication of metals, magnetostrictive material, Space Flight