The incorporation of ceramic particles in molten aluminium and the relationship to contact angle data

A number of ceramic particles have been added to molten aluminium using a K–Al–F flux-assisted casting process. It was impossible to incorporate oxides and covalently bonded ceramics using this method but several transition metal carbides, borides and nitrides, which have metal-like bonding, were readily incorporated. Incorporation events have been linked to both contact angle data in the literature and established trends in wetting behaviour. It was found that contact angle measurements made at temperatures similar to those experienced during the flux-assisted incorporation process, do not predict the successful incorporation of transition metal compounds.