Triple line ridging and attachment in high-temperature wetting

• Published in: Scripta materialia Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 159 - 164
• Main Authors: Saiz, E, Tomsia, A.P, Cannon, R.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Ltd 19.01.2001; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Ceramics; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; High temperature; Interfaces; Liquids; Metals; Physics; Solid-fluid interfaces; Surfaces; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Wetting; Interfaces; Surfaces; Liquids; Ceramics; High temperature; Metals; Liquid solid interface; Wettability; High temperature service behaviour; Spreading; Theoretical study; Liquid metals; Contact angle; Ridges
• ISSN: 1359-6462; 1872-8456
• DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6462(00)00549-2

During wetting experiments of molten Cu on alumina carried out in vacuum or Ar at 1150 deg C, advancing and receding fronts reach a common contact angle of approx114 deg after 20-30 min. The analysis indicates that this angle satisfies Young's equation. However, after longer times in vacuum, evaporation decreases the contact angles to a value of 95-100 deg . Atomic-force microscopy of the substates after removing the drops reveals 10-80 nm ridges in the triple line. In this case, the triple line is pinned by the ridge, causing the observed decrease of contact angle with evaporation. Breakaway does not occur: the angles always remain inside the attachment range of the ridge. Materials also include such other FCC metals as Sn, Al, Ag, Au, Cu, Pd, Ni, and Pt (also on alumina).