Cermets: II, Wettability and Microstructure Studies in Liquid‐Phase Sintering

The microstructures of polyphase, heterogeneous systems, sintered in the presence of a liquid phase, are analyzed on the basis of wettability and surface‐energy relations. General principles relating to the primary factors affecting the microstructure are discussed. The application of these principles to such diverse systems as metal‐carbide, metal‐glass, and metal‐metal show that the microstructure and distribution of the solid in the liquid is primarily determined by various surface‐energy relationships. A general “coalescence hypothesis” based on this work is proposed.