On the estimation of threshold pressures in infiltration of liquid metals into particle preforms

Threshold pressures for infiltration of different metals into preforms of ceramic particles of various nature and morphology were experimentally determined and the results compared with those estimated by using the specific particle surface areas derived from laser diffraction and gas adsorption. Whilst laser diffraction provides an under estimation of the areas involved in the infiltration experiments, and thus of threshold pressures, gas adsorption offers reasonable values for particles that are regular and free of nanostructured surfaces.