3. Corrosion in the presence of liquids

To be aggressive towards a ceramic, a liquid must be able to come into close contact with it. This contact is defined by wettability. But aggression is not limited to the ceramic surface. If the corrosive liquid penetrates the porosity, the attack can continue into the volume of the ceramic. The study of corrosion of ceramics by liquids is therefore the result of multiple interactions:

• liquid transport in open porosity ;

• thermochemical reactions that occur during liquid impregnation and the formation of new phases;

• effects of these chemical and structural transformations on the thermomechanical properties of ceramics.

In general, liquid metals are not very aggressive towards ceramics, whereas liquid oxides and molten salts are more so....