Effect of temperature on wetting kinetics in Al/SiC system: a molecular dynamic investigation

It is well known that liquid Al wetting on a SiC substrate is an important process, especially when manufacturing Al/SiC composite materials. Many researchers have attempted to investigate Al/SiC wetting kinetics; however, it is difficult since Al/SiC wetting occurs at high temperatures. It was found that the measured results showed diverse Al/SiC contact angles. Under such circumstances, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed for spreading of Al/SiC and Al-12 at.%Si/SiC, each process merged with heating at 973–1533 K, by which qualitative analysis of temperature effects on atomic distribution, dissolution, and composition were made, those results demonstrated that the temperature change dominated the kinetics of Al/SiC wetting. In accordance with reactive wetting mechanisms, thermal energy successively activated liquid/solid dissolution and interactions in Al/SiC. Increased temperature was attributed to the enhancement of Al/SiC wettability through the increased Al diffusion coefficient.