Capillarity in isothermal infiltration of alumina fiber preforms with aluminum

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Metallurgical Transactions, A (Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02652315· OSTI ID:6893768

Michaud, V J; Mortensen, A ^[1]; Compton, L M ^[2]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science
2. Altran Materials Engineering Inc., Boston, MA (United States)

Models derived in petroleum engineering and soil science for flow of two immiscible fluids in a porous medium are extended to the infiltration of ceramic preforms by a liquid metal. SAFFIL alumina fiber preforms are infiltrated with an aluminum matrix in a series of interrupted unidirectional and isothermal experiments at various low applied pressures, to measure profiles of the volume fraction of metal along the length of the preforms. Comparison of experimental data with theory reveals the existence of a pressure-dependent incubation time for wetting of the alumina preforms by molten aluminum at 973 K. If this incubation time is taken into account, experimental curves of metal distribution are well predicted by theory, confirming the validity of the models after initiation of flow.

• OSTI ID: 6893768
• Journal Information: Metallurgical Transactions, A (Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science); (United States), Vol. 25:10; ISSN 0360-2133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM
BONDING
IMPREGNATION
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
FABRICATION
FLOW MODELS
PORE STRUCTURE
POROUS MATERIALS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
WETTABILITY
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
JOINING
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
360601* - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture