Soldering and Brazing Metals to Ceramics at Room Temperature Using a Novel Nanotechnology

Abstract:

This paper reviews a new, low-temperature process for soldering and brazing ceramics to metals that is based on the use of reactive multilayer foils as a local heat source. The reactive foils range in thickness from 40μm to 100μm and contain many nanoscale layers that alternate between materials with large heats of mixing, such as Al and Ni. By inserting a free-standing foil between two solder (or braze) layers and two components, heat generated by the reaction of the foil melts the solder (or braze) and consequently bonds the components. The use of reactive foils eliminates the need for a furnace, and dramatically reduces the heating of the components being bonded. Thus ceramics and metals can be joined over large areas without the damaging thermal stresses that are typically encountered when cooling in furnace soldering or brazing operations. This paper draws on earlier work to review the bonding process and its application to a variety of ceramic-metal systems. Predictions of thermal profiles during bonding and the resulting residual stresses are described and compared with results for conventional soldering or brazing processes. The microstructure, uniformity, and physical properties of the reactive foil bonds are reviewed as well, using several different ceramic-metal systems as examples.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 45)
• Pages: 1578-1587
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.45.1578
• Online since: October 2006
• Authors: A. Duckham, J. Levin, T.P. Weihs
• Keywords: Brazing, Low Stress, Low-Temperature Ceramic-Metal Bonding, Soldering

References

[1] H. Koguchi, T. Hino, Y. Kikuchi, T. Yada: Experimental Mechanics, Vol. 34 (1994), p.116.

[2] G. Elssner, G. Petzow: ISIJ International, Vol. 30 (1990), p.1011.

[3] J. Harding, Y. L. Li: Composites Science and Technology: Vol. 45 (1992), p.161.

[4] S. H. Hamid, M. B. Amin, A. G. Maadhah: Handbook of Polymer Degradation (Marcel Dekker, New York 2000).

[5] P. A. Kelly, D. A. Hills, D. Nowell:. Journal of Strain Analysis, Vol. 27 (1992), p.15.

[6] N. D. Tinsley, J. Huddleston, M. R. Lacey: Materials and Manufacturing Processes, Vol. 13 (1998), p.491.

[7] S.J. Spey: Ignition Properties of Multilayer Nanoscale Reactive Foils, and the Properties of Metal-Ceramic Joints Made with the Same (PhD Thesis, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore 2005).

[8] A. Duckham, J.S. Subramanian, J. Newson, M. Brown, Y. Lin and Z. He: Proc. of Soc. Vacuum Coaters Meeting, Washington DC (2006).

[9] D. M. Makowiecki and R.M. Bionta: US Patent 5, 381, 944, Jan 17, (1995).

[10] T. P. Weihs: Self-propagating reactions in multilayer materials, chapter in Handbook of Thin Film Process Technology (IOP Publishing, Bristol and Philadelphia 1998).

[11] T.W. Barbee and T.P. Weihs: U.S. Pat. 5, 538, 795, July 23, (1996).

[12] T.W. Barbee, Jr. and T.P. Weihs: U.S. Pat. 5, 547, 715, August 20, (1996).

[13] T. P. Weihs, A. Gavens, M.E. Reiss, D. van Heerden, A. Draffin, and D. Stanfield: TMS Meeting Proceedings, Orlando, FL (1997).

[14] D. Van Heerden, A.J. Gavens, A.B. Mann, and T.P. Weihs: Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proceedings, Boston Vol. 481 (1997), p.533.

[15] A.J. Gavens, D. Van Heerden, A.B. Mann, M.E. Reiss, and T.P. Weihs: J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 87 (2000), p.1255.

[16] J. Wang, E. Besnoin, A. Duckham, S.J. Spey, M.E. Reiss, O.M. Knio, M. Powers, M. Whitener, and T.P. Weihs: Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol. 83 (2003), p.3987.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1623943

[17] J. Wang, E. Besnoin, A. Duckham, S.J. Spey, M.E. Reiss, O.M. Knio, and T.P. Weihs: J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 95 (2004), p.248.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1629390

[18] A. Duckham, E. Besnoin, S.J. Spey, J. Wang, M.E. Reiss, O.M. Knio, T.P. Weihs: J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 96 (2004), p.2336.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1769097

[19] A. Duckham, M. Brown, E. Besnoin, D. Van Heerden, O.M. Knio and T.P. Weihs: Proc. of American Ceramic Soc., Meeting Cocoa Beach, FL (2004).

[20] A.J. Swiston, E. Besnoin, A. Duckham, O.M. Knio, T.P. Weihs and T.C. Hufnagel: Acta Mat., vol. 53 (2005), p.3713.

DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2005.04.030

[21] J.S. Subramanian, T. Rude, J. Newson, Z. He, E. Besnoin and T.P. Weihs: Proc. IMAPS Symposium Long Beach, CA (2004).

[22] J.S. Subramanian, Z. He, J. Newson, T. Rude, T.P. Weihs: Proc. IMAPS ATW Palo Alto, CA (2004).

[23] D. Van Heerden, T. Rude, J. Newson, O. Knio, T.P. Weihs and D.W. Gailus: Proc. SemiTherm Boston, MA (2004).

[24] D. Van Heerden: Reactive NanoTechnologies Internal Report (2005).

[25] A. Duckham and M. Brown: Reactive NanoTechnologies Internal Report (2005).