DIFFUSION BONDING OF THIN ALllMINIllM FOILS.

In order to manufacture a small component for a detector, it is necessary to sandwich a

very thin foil (8 ~) of AI-3 Mg between two thicker (> 50 ~) templates of the same material
(Fig. 1). This is a preliminary report on the difficulties encountered and, on some solutions,
attempted. Aluminium-magnesium alloys are primarily solid solution strengthened and
strain hardened. They are not heat treatable. Cold working may increase the mechanical
properties (tensile strength up to 350 MPa). they offer excellent corrosion resistance. The
material is often used in foils for the manufacture of parts of microphones, loudspeakers
and of radiation windows. The requirements for the assembly are: the 8 ~ foil should
remain flat after the joining process and retain its strength and elastic modulus, the overall
thickness of the assembly must be precise and reproducible (± 3 ~ for example). The
surface roughness of the templates should also be limited after joining. This precludes
large deformations of the foils and templates.

Aluminium alloys are difficult to weld and additionally thin geometry of the parts for the
present application increases these problems. Adhesive bonding is feasible but it results
in rupture strengths of the order of 50 MFa (in tension) and the final thickness of the
assembly (brazing or welding) is also too imprecise for the required geometry. Diffusion
joining is thus the only process considered for that application. Diffusion brazing with a
transitory liquid phase created by the adjunct of a zinc interlayer, or of a coating, is one
solution, since eutectic brazing can operate at 380·C in this system. However, the
application considered for the component precludes formation of zinc vapour and brazing
processes would dissolve the thin foil. Solid state diffusion bonding: is the solution at this
stage and we will consider the possibility to apply it with and without interlayers.

2. Materials and bonding technology

The Al-3% Mg alloys are produced by Bi11iton B.V. (N.L.) as cold rolled products sheet
for the templates (thickness> 50 ~) and foil (8 ~). The composition includes 0.1% Mn
which improves stress corrosion resistance and hardens the material. It was impossible
to derive any valuable meta110graphic information from the foil (8 ~) which showed an
extremely small grain size. In the template some silicon was detected in the smaller
aluminium-magnesium precipitates (3-5 ~), and also some iron in tiny « 3 ~) aluminium-
silicon manganese-iron precipitates. Annealing at temperatures above 150·C causes the
iron and manganese containing precipitates to coarisen while the aluminium magnesium
precipitates tend to dissolve (in agreement with the phase diagram, Fig. 2). One hour
annealing treatments at 400·c reduce the rupture strength from 300 MFa to 220 MFa and
the conventional elastic limit from 280 MFa to 120 MFa, but the elongation at rupture
increases markedky. These results were obtained from tensile specimens punched out in
a 100 ~ thick sheet (2), no test could be carried out on the 8 ~ foil. The surface roughness
was less than one micrometer, elongated lines result from cold rolling.

Joining advanced materials by diffusion bonding

The selection of suitable joining techniques is vital for the successful utilization of
advanced materials in engineering. Sophisticated mechanical fasteners have been
developed and these may be combined with adhesive bonding, but they usually incur a
weight penalty and the associated fastener holes can limit the fatigue strength of the joint.
The principal alternative joining techniques are summarized in Figure 10.1. In all fusion
welding techniques the base metal is melted and the fusion zone will have a cast
microstructure. The high temperature required can lead to a wide heat affected zone
either side of the fusion zone associated with a steep temperature gradient. With high
cooling rates, residual stresses and component distortion can occur. These are reduced
in the much narrower fusion and heat affected zones produced with laser and electron
beam welds. Fusion welding is usually unsuitable for joining dissimilar materials or for
metastable alloys produced by rapid quenching if the quenched microstructure must be
preserved. In conventional brazing a flux is used to disrupt surface oxide films and
facilitate wetting of the surfaces by an alloy with a melting point below that of the base
material. To avoid the risk of remelting the braze alloy, all joints must be made in one
operation. There is little diffusion between the braze metal and the metals being joined,
and joint strength relies on the braze metal. Solid state joining techniques can be divided
into those using high pressure and high deformation and those associated with very little
deformation. Of those depending on high deformation, roll bonding and explosive bonding
involve bulk deformation of the parts being joined, and are used to produce semi-finished
products such as clad sheet or plate. In friction and ultrasonic welding, intense
deformation confined to the bond interface region raises the temperature and disrupts
and disperses the surface oxide films prior to welding. The above techniques are
described in reference [1]. In low deformation diffusion bonding (DB) the surfaces are
carefully cleaned prior to pressing the surfaces together under a low pressure at high
temperatures for relatively long times. This allows close control over the joining process,
with overall deformation of < 1-10% and minimum distortion. Joints with 100% efficiency,
i.e. joints having mechanical properties identical to those of the materials being joined,
are possible with some materials. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under inert gas pressure
has the unique advantages of high pressure (up to 300 MPa) and temperatures (up to
2000 0c) and more rapid bonding than under unidirectional pressing with minimum
deformation. It is widely used for consolidating, in the solid state, powders and chopped
melt spun ribbons. Some of the many factors that affect the selection of a particular joining
process in production are plant acquisition costs and utilization.

Solid-State Diffusion Bonding of Commercially pure Titanium and Precipitation

Hardening Stainless steel

In high-Tech. engineering application, however suitable bonding techniques are required

to fabricate a composite structure by using multi components alloys like steels, Ti, Ti-
alloys, super alloys etc. [1]. Conventional bonding of dissimilar material is much
critical due to various metallurgical heterogeneities like thermal expansion,
mismatches, large differences in melting points, development of residual stress and
formation of brittle intermetallic phases. After much exploration of the processes, it has
been suggested that solid state joining process can give the better solution and in this
respect, diffusion bonding is convenient with minimum macroscopic deformation and
reduction of mechanical properties [2]. In solid state diffusion bonding, two materials are
brought in close contact at elevated temperatures under moderate pressure. However,
diffusion takes a dominant role with extent of diffusion zone and control of diffusion
reaction, under the influence of parameters like temperature and pressure. Owing to low
processing temperature, it is possible to eliminate the problem generated by fusion
welding. The bonding progresses in various stages; first stage, material contact areas of
the mating surfaces as well as joint areas. In the second stage, diffusion of grain boundary
predominates. This stage, eliminate pores and finally ensue the grain boundary
arrangements. In third stage, volume diffusion dominates and joining process is
completed. Titanium and precipitation hardening stainless steel have the wide
applications in nuclear chemical, aircraft, naval industries due to their excellent
mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance [3]. These two materials can be
joined by diffusion bonding process [4]. According to the literature [5-10], at room
temperature Ti and Fe have limited solubility in each other and formed intermetallic
phases along with terminal solid solution in the binary phase diagram. Direct bonding
between Ti and Stainless Steel with varying temperature promotes the formation of
intermetalics like σ, Fe2Ti, Cr2Ti, Fe2TiO4, FeTi, λ and χ phases [5-10]. In present study,
Solid-state direct diffusion bonding of commercially pure Titanium and precipitation
hardening stainless steel (PHSS) has been carried out in the temperature range of 800°C
to 1000°C and with an interval of 50°C for 3.6 ks. Under 3.5 Mpa uniaxial load in ( 4 to 6
) ×10–3 Pa vacuum. The aim of the present investigation is revealing the different reaction
layers formed near the interface and influence of bonding temperatures on the structural
changes of the diffusion zones and mechanical properties of the bonded sample.