Advancements in metallic foams for high-performance applications: Energy absorption and lightweight materials

Metallic foams are lightweight cellular materials with exceptional energy absorption capabilities. This study systematically analyzes aluminum, magnesium, and titanium foam systems through cross-comparative assessment of 133 studies, examining four manufacturing routes and their impact on performance. Energy absorption varies with composition: aluminum foams achieve 2.6–13 MJ/kg, steel composites reach 4.0–50 MJ/kg, while microsphere foams attain 55–70 MJ/kg. Hybrid bi-continuous interpenetrated porous composites (BIPC) demonstrate 130% higher energy absorption than constituent components through structural synergies. Open-cell architectures exhibit 70–95% porosity, enabling thermal management applications. Systematic cross-comparative analysis demonstrates that relative density (0.1–0.5), pore morphology, and reinforcement strategy govern specific energy absorption, plateau stress, and deformation stability. Manufacturing techniques including powder metallurgy, gas expansion, reactive foaming, and foam infiltration have improved structural control; however, uniform porosity, reproducibility, and scalability remain challenging. The review identifies critical gaps in standardized high-strain-rate characterization and cross-study comparability. Future research should focus on processing optimization, hybrid integration strategies, and unified performance evaluation frameworks to support broader adoption in automotive, aerospace, and defense applications.