Contact and Infiltration Behavior of Al Melt and Al-B4C Composite

Abstract

In the present study, the authors used sessile drop method to simulate the contacting and infiltration behavior between Al melt and Al–B4C composite. In order to track the penetration distance of the metal melt infiltrate into the Al-B4C composite matrix when the infiltration is not obvious, element Si was added into the metal melt as the tracer agent. The Al-10%Si melt was dropped onto the Al-B4C composite substrate at 913K. The changes of droplet bottom size, height, and contact angle during the spreading and penetration with Al-B4C composite substrate surface are investigated by infiltration experiment equipment. The process of the droplet infiltrating into the Al-B4C composite can be divided into two stages: (a) a slow infiltration stage that the contact angle changes slowly; (b) a quick infiltration stage with the rapidly-changed contact angle. The content of B4C and the pores in the composite plays an important role on the infiltration of the droplet. The higher the density, the easier the infiltration proceeds.