The wettability of the metal/SiC system is not always excellent, resulting in the limitation of the widespread use of SiC ceramic. In this paper, three implantation doses of Si ions (5 × 1015, 1 × 1016, 5 × 1016 ions/cm2) were implanted into the 6H-SiC substrate. The wetting of Cu-(2.5, 5, 7.5, 10) Sn alloys on the pristine and Si-SiC were studied by the sessile drop technique, and the interfacial chemical reaction of Cu-Sn/SiC wetting couples was investigated and discussed. The Si ion can markedly enhance the wetting of Cu-Sn on 6H-SiC substrate, and those of the corresponding contact angles (θ) are raised partly, with the Si ion dose increasing due to the weakening interfacial chemical reactions among four Cu-Sn alloys and 6H-SiC ceramics. Moreover, the θ of Cu-Sn on (Si-)SiC substrate is first decreased and then increased from ~62° to ~39°, and ~70° and ~140°, with the Sn concentration increasing from 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% to 10%, which is linked to the reactivity of Cu-Sn alloys and SiC ceramic and the variation of liquid-vapor surface energy. Particularly, only a continuous graphite layer is formed at the interface of the Cu-10Sn/Si-SiC system, resulting in a higher contact angle (>40°).

A porous SiC ceramic reinforced copper-matrix composite was fabricated by spontaneous infiltration of molten Cu-24at%Si alloy into the reinforcement. The influence of process parameters on the infiltration behavior and microstructure of the as-prepared SiC/Cu composite investigations showed that infiltration temperature had an important influence on the infiltration behavior, and higher infiltration temperature which decreased the viscosity of molten Cu-24Si was beneficial to the penetration. Besides, the degree of infiltration increased with the increase of dwelling time at 1600°C. SiC particles were bonded together by sintering additives to form the porous reinforcement, which can be maintained after spontaneous infiltration. The interfacial bond between SiC and Cu-24Si alloy was tight, and no obvious interfacial reaction layer was observed in the as-prepared composite.

Silicon carbide (SiC) reticulated porous ceramics were prepared by organic foam impregnation, using polyurethane sponges as template and deionized water or alcohol as slurry solvent. The sintering behavior, microstructures and apparent density of struct of the SiC reticulated porous ceramics fabricated using the aqueous slurry under different sintering aids and sintering process and the alcohol slurry were investigated comparatively. The experimental results showed that both the microstructures and apparent density of the samples fabricated by Y2O3+AlN as sintering aid were better than those Al2O3 as sintering aid while the aqueous slurry, and the samples fabricated by two-step process (firstly heated to 700 oC in air furnace, and then sintered at 1800 oC in Ar atmosphere) while Y2O3+AlN as sintering aid obtained the optimal properties. In particular, the samples fabricated by the alcohol slurry and reaction sintering process were provided better properties than the aqueous slurry.

High purity alumina/stainless steel joints were produced via activated molybdenummanganese (Mo-Mn) route using 72Ag-28Cu solder. Microstructures of the metallized ceramic and joint sections were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Joint strength was tested by shear-loading method. Some process factors were characterized and analyzed, which include temperature, holding time and heating and cooling rate in ceramic metallization process. The effects of Ni plating and succedent annealing were also investigated. Experimental results show that, migration of glassy phases is the main mechanism of the ceramic metallization. Glass migration direction is from metallizing layer to ceramic side. In the ranges of temperature and holding time of metallization, joint strength firstly increases and then falls with temperature raising and time extending. More fully sintered metallizing layer can be obtained while the temperature increases from 1200oC to 1500oC, and the time prolongs from 30min to 60min. Over-sintering of the metallizing layer will take place with metallizing temperature of 1600 oC and overlong holding time of 70min, which reduces the joint strength. The slower heating and cooling rate, and the annealing after Ni plating both help enhance the seal strength, due to relieving or eliminating interlayer residual thermal stress. However, too slow heating and cooling rate, such as 5 oC /min, is equivalent to overlong holding time and finally also decline the strength. A thin Ni coating helps solder wet metallizing surface, and stops solder erode metallizing layer.