The effect of the degree of ionicity of ceramic materials on their wettability by melted sodium chloride

Abstract

The sessile drop method has been used to study the wettability of hexagonal boron nitride, sapphire, quartz, and polycrystalline silicon carbide by melted sodium chloride in a reducing He–H₂ atmosphere. Melted NaCl completely spreads over sapphire and quartz surfaces and form finite contact angles equal to 51° ± 10° and 77° ± 5° on silicon carbide and hexagonal boron nitride, respectively. The calculated works of salt adhesion to the ceramic substrates increase with the magnitude of the ionic component of ceramic material surface energy.