Infiltration of graphite preforms with Al–Si eutectic alloy and mercury

Porous isotropic graphite preforms are infiltrated with Al–12 wt.%Si at 680 °C using an applied pressure of between 2 and 8 MPa. Densitometry after infiltration and solidification is then used to deduce the relevant drainage curve. For comparison, the same preforms are also characterized by mercury porosimetry. By comparing the curves obtained from those two measurements using the Brooks–Corey relation, a contact angle of the Al–Si eutectic on graphite of 139° is obtained, in relatively good agreement with literature data.