Wetting of rare-earth element oxides by metallic melts

The results of studies on the wettability and contact interaction of rare-earth (REE) oxides and aluminium oxide (for comparison) with metallic melts are presented. Proceeding from analysis of the data obtained, a mechanism of interaction of metallic melts with rare-earth element oxides is proposed, based on the interaction of the metallic melt components with the cationic and the anionic sublattice of the oxides. The necessity to take into account the interaction of the melt metal with the cationic sublattice of oxide is determined by a high chemical affinity of the REE for quite a number of metals and by specific features of the structure of the surface of the oxides.