Development of Ag based brazing filler metal with low melting point

Abstract

This study was carried out to develop cadmium free silver based brazing filler metals that meet the following requirements. First, they have to have a melting point lower than that of BAg-1 brazing filler metal. Second, they have to have not only good wetting characteristics and the ability to produce a sound joint with excellent mechanical properties but also plastic formability. Using the calculated phase diagrams on Ag–Cu–Zn–Sn quaternary system alloys, the authors selected several alloys with a possibility of meeting the above requirements. The melting point and other properties, such as hardness and brazeability of the selected alloys, were evaluated. As a result, the authors successfully developed silver based brazing filler metals that have a low melting point below ∼600°C and meet the above requirements by adding a small amount of indium as an alloying element into the Ag–Cu–Zn–Sn quaternary system alloy. The newly developed brazing filler metals are slightly inferior in wetting characteristics to BAg-1; however, the brazing filler metal containing ∼3 mass-% indium element showed wetting characteristics comparable to those of BAg-1. Furthermore, the new brazing filler metals could produce joints with a high tensile strength equivalent to ∼83% of that of a joint brazed using BAg-1.