Wettability of carbon and silicon carbide ceramics induced by their surface alloying with Zr and Cu elements using high intensity pulsed plasma beams

Joining of metals with ceramics is very difficult, because properties of these materials are very different. One of the methods of improving mechanical strength of the obtained joints is the introduction of an additional interlayer to the joining area. This paper presents the Zr and Cu-rich layers in C and SiC substrates obtained using the high intensity pulsed plasma beams method. The results of Zr plasma modifications were beneficial and similar to the results obtained in previous works with Ti. The measured contact angles were below 90 centigrade. The results with Cu plasma were unfavourable with contact angles close to 180 centigrade. Apart from the sessile-drop test and to extend the range of analysis, the investigated samples were examined by stereoscopic optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), grazing angle X-ray diffraction (GXRD), and Rutherford back scattering (RBS) measurements.