Inversion of a liquid Bi/Al metallic emulsion stabilized by solid SiC particles

Liquid metallic emulsions have been prepared from an Al alloy (with 9 wt.% Si + 0.6 wt.% Mg content) and pure Bi as two immiscible liquid metals, stabilized by solid SiC (silicon carbide) particles. When the volume fraction of the Bi-rich liquid is low (0.31), Bi droplets were stabilized by the SiC particles in the Al matrix. When the volume fraction of the Bi-rich liquid is high (0.61), Al droplets were stabilized by the same SiC particles in the Bi matrix. The volume fraction of stabilizing SiC particles is around 0.15 in both cases. Thus, shifting the volume ratio of the two immiscible liquid metallic phases, the liquid metallic emulsion stabilized solely by solid particles was inverted. This is a similar result to those obtained previously for oil/water emulsions stabilized by solid particles. The results are in agreement with a previously published emulsion stability diagram [G. Kaptay, this journal, 282-283 (2006)387-401] validated for o/w emulsions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.