Achieving the superior wetting behavior in ZrO₂/Fe system controlled by the mechanism of dynamic elements diffusion and interfacial phase transaction

In order to enhance the interfacial bonding behavior of ZrO₂/Fe system, a typical Ti layer was coated surrounding the ZrO₂ plate, the wetting angle of ZrO₂@Ti/Fe reduced dramatically to 9° Combined with the FIB specimen and TEM analysis, dynamical elements diffusion can be observed obviously. The outmost part of ZrO₂ ceramic converted into ZrO_2-x, the excessive O and Ti elements, diffused from the typical coating, could react and form TiO phase at the interface. Meanwhile, some part of outmost ZrO₂ grain transformed from tetragonal to monoclinic structure under thermal stress during cooling process of sessile experiment. The lattice mismatch between α-Fe and ZrO_2-x was measured, and the value is as small as 3.29 % which shows definitely full wetting character, it is believed that the improvement in wettability is probably due to the dissolution of ZrO₂ and the generation of ZrO_2-x based on the fact of dynamic diffusion fitting results.