In order to evaluate the electrochemical properties of aluminum alloy anode under high current densities in alkaline electrolyte, the galvanostatic discharge, potentiodynamic polarization and hydrogen evolution tests of three experimental Al?Mg?Sn?In?(Ga) alloys were performed. The results show that the alloying element gallium improves the working potentials of experimental Al?Mg?Sn?In alloys under different discharge current densities. The average working potentials of the alloys containing gallium can reach?1.3 V under current density ranging from 650 to 900 mA/cm2, while those of alloy without Ga are only?1.0 V. Such phenomenon is attributed to the solid solution which can form amalgam with aluminum matrix. Such an amalgam can form the hydrolyzed species during the discharge process and lead to the corrosion infiltrating into aluminum matrix.
Al？50%SiC （volume fraction） composites containing different sizesofSiC particles （average sizesof 23, 38 and 75 μm） were prepared by powder metallurgy. The influences of SiC particle sizes and annealing on the propertiesof the compositeswere investigated. The results show that SiC particles are distributed uniformly in the Al matrix. The coarse SiC particles result in higher coefficient of thermal expansion （CTE） and higher thermal conductivity （TC）, while fine SiC particles decrease CTE and improve flexural strength of the composites. The morphology and size of SiC particles in the composite are not influenced by the annealing treatment at 400℃for 6h. However, the CTE and the flexural strength of annealed composites are decreased slightly, and the TCis improved. The TC, CTE and flexural strength of the Al/SiC composite with averageSiC particlesize of75 μm are 156 W/（m·K）, 11.6×10^-6K^-1 and 229 MPa, respectively.
Open-cell nickel foams with different relative densities and pre-stretching degrees were subjected to room temperature quasi-static compressive tests to explore their compressive properties. The compressive properties of the nickel foams including yield strength, elastic modulus, energy absorption density and energy absorption efficiency were calculated accurately. The results show that the compressive properties of yield strength, elastic modulus and energy absorption density increase with the increase of relative density of nickel foams. The compressive properties are sensitive to the pre-stretching degree, and the values of yield strength, elastic modulus and energy absorption density decrease with the increase of pre-stretching degree. However, the energy absorption efficiency at the densification strain state exhibits the independence of relative density and pre-stretching degree. The value of energy absorption efficiency reaches its peak when the strain is at the end of the collapse plateau region.
