Foam metal is a new kind of multi-functional materials produced by forming a large number of pores in metal substrate

which finds important applications in solar energy harvesting

enhanced heat transfer

etc

its radiative properties parameter are essential physical data for analysis on radiative transfer in metal foams. An inversion measurement method is presented to measure radiative properties of foam metal based on apparent bidirectional reflectance distribution function（ BRDF） data

radiative properties are inversely identified by using the measured BRDF data at multi incidence angles combined with numerical solution of radiative transfer equation. The apparent BRDF distribution of 1 /2 hemisphere space of three foam metal samples

namely

ironnickel foam（ 50 ppi）

copper foam（ 90 ppi） and nickel foam（ 30 ppi） are experimentally measured at laser wavelength 660 nm and analyzed

furthermore

their radiative properties are inversed. These foam metal show obvious semitransparent characteristics

scattering albedo increases with increase of pore density

scattering phase function show backward dominant characteristics.