The purpose of this book is to bring together current scientific understanding of wetting behaviour that has been gained from theoretical models and quantitative experimental observations. The materials considered are liquid metals or inorganic glasses in contact with solid metals or ceramics at temperatures of 200-2000oC.
Wetting has been a significant scientific concern for the last two centuries and reference will be made to classical work by nineteenth century scientists such as Dupre, Laplace and Young that was validated by observations of the behaviour of chemically inert ambient temperature systems.
In attempting to achieve the aims of the book, the text has been divided into ten Chapters that can be grouped into four stages of presentation. The first stage comprises two Chapters that review established and newly developed models for their relevance to wetting behaviour at high temperatures, including recent models that encompass the role of chemical reactions at the solid/liquid interfaces. Attention is paid both to equilibrium wetting behaviour (Chapter 1) and to the factors that control the approach to equilibrium (Chapter 2). Then follow Chapters concerned with experimental techniques for scientific measurement of the extent of wetting (Chapter 3) and with the surface energy data for both metals and non-metals that are essential for quantitative interpretation of wetting behaviour (Chapter 4). Descriptions of experimentally determined and quantified wetting behaviour are presented and interpreted in the third part comprising five Chapters dealing with the characteristics of metal/metal, metal/oxide, metal/non-oxide, metal/carbon and molten glass/solid systems. The book concludes with a Chapter commenting on the role of wetting behaviour in joining similar and dissimilar materials by liquid route techniques.

Joining Processes is aimed at scientists and engineers who need to specify effective means of joining metals and ceramics, and also for undergraduates whose studies encompass joining processes. Joining Processes provides a brief review of the spectrum of joining processes ranging from fusion welding to adhesive bonding, followed by a detailed introduction to brazing, diffusion bonding and their hybrid processes. This book also describes the scientific principles of the joining processes and provides practical information about the optimum selection of joining materials, joint designs and processing parameters. The effects of both similarities and significant differences of the processes on joint properties are emphasised and illustrated by descriptions of case histories of successful applications.

This volume discusses the physical and chemical factors involved in the production of glass-metal seals and metallizing ceramic surfaces, including a discussion of the bonding involved, and methods of active metal brazing. The book also deals with diffusion metal bonding and testing methods for the measurement of bond strength of ceramic-metal joints. An explanation of methods for the non-destructive evaluation of ceramic materials and joints includes a discussion of ultrasonic testing, radiography and thermography. The final section is a case history of ceramic-metal diffusion bonding, which is a step-by-step guide including design objectives, process development and the final production run.