Surface characterisation and wettability of titanium diboride by aluminium at low temperature

Titanium diboride (TiB2) represents a perspective material for innovations in aluminium technology. This refractory ceramic material has superior thermal and electrical conductivity and considerable chemical stability at high temperatures (>1000 degrees C). Furthermore, excellent wettability by molten aluminium at operating temperatures is required for the application of TiB2 as an inert cathode in aluminium electrolysis process. The wettability of various TiB2-based materials has been studied in literature at different conditions in temperature ranges above to 1000 degrees C. The present paper surveys the current state of knowledge on aluminium wettability of TiB2 at high temperatures and examines the wettability of pure hot-press sintered TiB2 material with different values of surface roughness at low temperatures, i.e. below 900 degrees C.