Hybrid metal foams typically have a thin film on the underlying porous substrate. Coating metal foams with a different material has been shown to improve the mechanical properties of the metal foam, especially because they are prone to bending deformation mechanisms due to their cellular structure. The addition of a thin film can also improve other properties such as corrosion resistance and enable surface functionalization for catalytic flow processes.
To fabricate hybrid metal foams, thin films are deposited onto a foam substrate with electrodeposition at room temperature. A two-electrode cell setup in a Watt's bath can be used. Recent studies have demonstrated issues with the uniformity of the thin-film due to the complex geometry of metal foams. Issues with uniformity have been addressed in more recent studies through the implementation of nanoparticle thin films, leading to improved mechanical and corrosion resistance properties. 
Recent studies on hybrid foams have also been used to address non-renewable energy resources. Transition metal hybrid foams have previously been fabricated through a combination of electrodeposition and hydrogen bubbling processes to enhance the diffusivity of fluids through the porous material and improve the electrical properties for enhanced charge transfer. Thus, such foams can be used to make electrocatalytic water splitting processes more efficient.
Hybrid metal foams may have favorable conductive properties for flexible devices. Through the application of a thin layer of metal onto a porous polymer substrate via gas-phase deposition, researchers have been able to achieve high conductivity while maintaining the flexibility of the polymer matrix. Through cycling testing, it has been shown that hybrid foams are capable of surface deformation sensing. Future efforts seek to characterize the change in cross-linking and porosity of materials as deposition occurs. Additionally, the interaction or compatibility between different polymers and metals in foam ligands can be explored in order to get an improved understanding of their sensitivity to external forces. This would help improve resistance to compressive forces.