Wetting behaviour of Zn–Al filler metal on a stainless steel substrate

This work offers an analysis of the wetting behaviour of the Zn–xAl filler metal spreading on the stainless steel. Effects of Al content on wetting kinetics and microstructures of the re-solidified filler metal were studied in this important system of dissimilar substrates. Experimental results have confirmed that the wetting of Zn–xAl filler metal on stainless steel features the trend of triple-line kinetics. In the main spreading phase, the spreading radius and time can be correlated with a power law of Rⁿ ∼ t, n = ∼0.4. The content of Al in the filler metal has a minimal effect on the value of n for the investigated range of Al concentrations. However, the spreading area of the filler metal after re-solidification decreases with an increase of the content of Al. Moreover, the thickness of the Fe–Al intermetallic layer at the cross-section increases with an increasing Al content.