Critical Wetting Point in a Liquid Lead–Molten Alkali Metal Halogenide System

The phase transition of surface wetting in two-phase high-temperature systems is analyzed using experimental data on the surface tension of liquid lead and molten sodium, potassium, and cesium halides at the boundary with a gas phase, along with values of the interfacial tension between them. The dependence of the adhesion of the salt melt to the metal on the temperature and nature of the contacting phases was established. Conditions are found for the transition from partial wetting of the metal surface with molten salt to the film regime.