Wetting of Fe–7.5%Cr steel by molten Pb and Pb–17Li

Wetting of an Fe–7.5wt%Cr martensitic steel by molten lead has been studied as a function of temperature in the range 400–900 °C by the sessile drop and dispensed drop techniques. Two different furnace atmospheres (high vacuum and an He–H2 gas mixture) and different heat treatments of the steel prior to test allowed the wetting for both oxidised and deoxidised steels. The influence of addition of Li, a metal with a high affinity for oxygen, to Pb on wetting has also been investigated.