Interaction of Cu-Al melts with Cr₂AlC and (Cr₀.₉₅Mn₀.₀₅)₂AlC MAX-phases

New materials based on MAX-phases require methods of soldering, impregnation and knowledge of corrosion resistance to melts at high temperatures. Direct observations of the interaction of melts with MAX-phases provide the most complete information on contact angles, absorption. In our work, high-speed thermal imaging is used, which allows recording thermal effects during the interaction of melts with a solid phase. Melts with aluminum are reactive and dissolve almost all metals. On the other hand, copper allows reducing reactivity by diluting aluminum. This is the reason for choosing copper-aluminum alloys to study corrosion and capillary interaction with the widespread MAX-phases on Cr2AlC base. The interaction between two-component Al-Cu melts, Cr2AlC and (Cr0.95Mn0.05)2AlC was investigated at temperatures reaching 1,150 ◦C under a vacuum of 10−3 Pa. Pure aluminum melt uniformly dissolves MAX-phases at elevated temperatures without wetting it or infiltrating the porous structure. In contrast, interaction with the pure copper melt results in the decomposition of MAX-phases, leading to the formation of a rigid framework composed of chromium carbides, which is impregnated with Cu(Al,Cr) bronze. By adjusting the aluminum content in the copper melt, it is possible to inhibit the complete decomposition of MAX-phases while simultaneously infiltrating and sintering MAX-phases powder to create a mechanically robust composite material. Document Type: Original article Cited as: Zhevnenko, S., Gorshenkov, M., Gorshkov, V. Interaction of Cu-Al melts with Cr2AlC and (Cr0.95Mn0.05)2AlC MAX-phases. Capillarity, 2025, 15(2): 33-43. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2025.05.02