Finite element analysis of reticulated ceramics under compression

This paper shows how finite element analysis can be used to study the effect of the morphological features of reticulated ceramics on their mechanical properties under compression. Quantitative morphological data, obtained by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) for a commercially available Si–SiC foam produced by the replica method, have been linked to a set of computer generated cells in which one morphological parameter was varied at a time. The findings indicate how the modification of some morphological features, which depend on the careful selection of appropriate and specific processing parameters, would enable the production of ceramic foams possessing higher strength for a given total porosity value.