WETTING BEHAVIOR OF Al-Mg ALLOYS ON CARBON FIBER FABRIC

In present work, the wetting behavior of carbon fiber and Al-Mg alloys (up to 17 wt.%) from 700 degrees C to 1000 degrees C was investigated by sessile drop method. Below 900 degrees C, the contact angles decreased slightly with increase of temperature regardless of Mg amount. However, the contact angles decreased sharply at elevated temperature (above 900 degrees C). Moreover, below 900 degrees C, the contact angles decreased slightly with holding time, and significant decrease of contact angle with increase of holding time was found above 1000 degrees C. All contact angle-holding time curves at 1000 degrees C demonstrated three kinetic stages. It is observed that the contact angles decreased with Mg amount regardless of wetting temperature. The addition of Mg element will inhabit the nucleation and growth of Al4C3 phase, which is unfavorable to the wetting behavior. However, the addition of Mg element will also decrease the surface energy, which demonstrates dominant effect and leads to the decrease of contact angles.