Formation of contact interaction zones during infiltration of composite materials depending on binder composition

In the production of macro-heterogeneous composite materials with a metal matrix by the oven infiltration method, it is necessary to control the contact interaction processes occurring at the filler and binder interfaces. The width of the resulting contact interaction zones at the interfaces is an indicator of intensity of these processes. The intensity of contact interaction processes depends on many factors, including the binder alloy composition. The paper examines the effect of binder alloying components on the change in the surface tension of the binder alloy, and, so on the intensity of contact interaction processes occurring at the interfaces during infiltration of composite materials. Calculations of changes in the surface tension of iron-based binder upon alloying with C, P, B and Mo are presented using the formalism of the electrochemical interaction of regular solutions. The iron melt was considered as a solvent, while C, B, P and Mo were considered as dissolved components. It was taken into account that formation of an interface resulted in the appearance of unbalanced charges and energetic influence on the ions distributed in the melt. Adsorption of dissolved components on the filler surface decreased the surface tension of the binder. When estimating the thickness of the layer of excess ion concentration at the surface, we assumed that the binder surface tension depended on the number of adsorbed ions. Our calculations were expressed in accordance with the concept of mole equivalent. It is found that alloying of the Fe–C–B–P binder with Mo causes a decrease in the difference between the surface tension values of the alloyed binder and pure iron melt by 28.5 %, and, accordingly, 22.6 % reduction of thickness of the layer of excess ion concentration. The results obtained were compared with the results of experimental works with regard to composite materials with W–C fillers and iron binders alloyed with C, B, P, and Mo. It is determined that when the Fe–C–B–P binder is alloyed with Mo the width of contact interaction zones in the composite materials decreases by 15–20 %. Therefore, the results of calculations using the proposed method for changing the thickness of the layer of excess ions at the interfaces when alloying the binder correlate with the experimental data for changes in the width of contact interaction zones of composite materials.