The development of porous metallic materials: a short review of fabrication, characteristics, and applications

Abstract Metallic porous material plays an irreplaceable role in weight reduction, heat dissipation, catalyst, and other industrial applications. The customized, large production and environment-friendly fabrication of porous metallic material are becoming increasingly important. Moreover, the selection of matrix material, control of porosity, and foaming parameters are critical for determining the quality of porous metallic material and product. As the porous metallic material is often used as the structural and/or functional component, its mechanical, heat dissipation, corrosion resistance and other properties need to be evaluated before industrial application. This review provides an overview of the fabrication techniques, characteristics, and applications of porous metallic materials. Additionally, current industrial applications and potential future areas are discussed.