Interfacial Forces and Energies Relevant to Production of Metal Matrix Composites

Interfacial forces relevant for the production of ceramic particle reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) are considered in this paper: i. acting on a particle at a gas/liquid interface ii acting between two particles in a liquid metal, iii. acting between a particle and a solidification front Data for interfacial energies involved in the equations for the interfacial forces are given for: i surface tension of liquid metals, ii. solid/liquid interfacial energies of metals, iii. surface energies of ceramics, iv. contact angles in liquid metal/ceramic systems. Some basic correlations and model equations are also given for different interfacial energies.