Investigations into the Infiltration Kinetics, Wettability and Interfacial Bond Strength of Al/SiC Composites

The theoretical model and the experimental setup used for porous compact studies are described in the previous reports (1,2). In this phase of the study, unsintered compacts of Silicon carbide particles were infiltrated with pure aluminum. The infiltration distance, the distance to which the liquid metal penetrates the porous compact, was measured as a function of time different temperatures and pressures. The results are plotted as infiltration distance versus time in accordance with a theoretical analysis previously reported. (A least square analysis was carried out to fit a straight line through the data points).