| Abstract: |
Joining of dissimilar and increasingly advanced materials is an essential manufacturing procedure, but as advanced alloys and ceramics become more specialised, the joining process becomes more complex. Current soldering technology is used in a range of electronic applications, such as heat sinks and semiconductor devices, but thus far has lacked the development required to enable stronger, better performing joints of ceramic materials. The concept of active soldering – utilising highly reactive elements in solders to enhance the wetting of otherwise difficult to joint materials – has the potential to be a transformative technology, allowing the joining of ceramics at temperatures below 450oC, with increased strength and removing the need for harsh chemical fluxes. This work presents initial research into developing active solders for the low temperature joining of Al to Al2O3. As a demonstration of this concept, a developed composite active solder produced by plating the active element on to the surface of a metallic sponge carrier, then infiltrated with Sn, was used to join Al to Al. Microstructural characterisation of the fabricated active filler and the soldered joint are presented, along with mechanical testing and subsequent fractography. Furthermore, the outlook for the further development of this technology is discussed.
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