Effect of Alumina Ceramics Surface
Condition on the Wetting of Liquid Lead
Zhen Qi and Zhang Fu Yuan
Abstract The effect of alumina ceramics surface roughness on the wetting characteristics of liquid lead was investigated by the sessile drop method. The surface
3D appearance and surface roughness of the alumina substrate were measured by
confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The interface micrographs of lead and
alumina substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The
results show that as the alumina substrate surface roughness increases, the contact angle of the lead drop increases, the drop height increases, the contact diameter decreases, and the adsorption work decreases. An obvious pinning effect was
observed during the wetting process, and the potential mechanism of the wetting
behavior was described on the basis of Wenzel equation. This work provides a
theoretical basis for the application of alumina ceramics in the lead industry.
Keywords Surface roughness · Wetting · Adsorption work · Lead
Introduction
The surface properties of materials have been of great influence in many studies and
have received widespread attention. In particular, alumina ceramics are widely used
in many fields such as self-cleaning, coating, optoelectronic devices, and composite
materials because of their excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high
temperature resistance [1–3].
The wetting of gas-liquid-solid systems is mainly affected by the chemical composition of solid and liquid phases, liquid-solid interface reaction, the substrate surface
roughness, and other factors [4–6]. The research on surface roughness of materials
was mainly carried out at room temperature, such as mechanical processing and
laser texture are used to change the surface roughness and anisotropy in order to
improve the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the surface [7–9]. The wetting of
Z. Qi · Z. F. Yuan (B)
Collaborative Innovation Center of Steel Technology, University of Science and Technology
Beijing, Beijing, China
e-mail: zfyuan2016@ustb.edu.cn
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_41
479
Condition on the Wetting of Liquid Lead
Zhen Qi and Zhang Fu Yuan
Abstract The effect of alumina ceramics surface roughness on the wetting characteristics of liquid lead was investigated by the sessile drop method. The surface
3D appearance and surface roughness of the alumina substrate were measured by
confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The interface micrographs of lead and
alumina substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The
results show that as the alumina substrate surface roughness increases, the contact angle of the lead drop increases, the drop height increases, the contact diameter decreases, and the adsorption work decreases. An obvious pinning effect was
observed during the wetting process, and the potential mechanism of the wetting
behavior was described on the basis of Wenzel equation. This work provides a
theoretical basis for the application of alumina ceramics in the lead industry.
Keywords Surface roughness · Wetting · Adsorption work · Lead
Introduction
The surface properties of materials have been of great influence in many studies and
have received widespread attention. In particular, alumina ceramics are widely used
in many fields such as self-cleaning, coating, optoelectronic devices, and composite
materials because of their excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high
temperature resistance [1–3].
The wetting of gas-liquid-solid systems is mainly affected by the chemical composition of solid and liquid phases, liquid-solid interface reaction, the substrate surface
roughness, and other factors [4–6]. The research on surface roughness of materials
was mainly carried out at room temperature, such as mechanical processing and
laser texture are used to change the surface roughness and anisotropy in order to
improve the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the surface [7–9]. The wetting of
Z. Qi · Z. F. Yuan (B)
Collaborative Innovation Center of Steel Technology, University of Science and Technology
Beijing, Beijing, China
e-mail: zfyuan2016@ustb.edu.cn
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_41
479