Development and application of silver-based brazing materials
Silver (Ag)-based brazing material is usually silver or silver-based solid solution-based hard brazing material, such brazing material has excellent process properties, such as good wettability, electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and good caulking ability, can be used to braze in addition to aluminum, magnesium, and other low melting point of the metal, almost all ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and therefore widely used.
First, silver-based brazing material classification and application
Silver-based brazing material is mainly classified according to its alloy composition, the most common types include pure silver brazing material, silver-copper brazing material, silver-copper titanium brazing material, silver-copper zinc brazing material, silver-copper zinc-nickel brazing material, and silver-copper phosphorus brazing material. Each type of brazing material has unique properties that make it suitable for different applications. The following are some of the commonly used silver-based brazing materials and their properties and applications:
01
Pure silver brazing material
Composed entirely of silver, with a melting point of 961.8°C, pure silver brazing material has excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, making it ideal for applications requiring minimal resistance and high heat transfer. The brazing material also has excellent wettability, ensuring a strong bond between the joining materials.
Applications: in the electrical and electronics industry for joining electronic contacts, connectors and terminals due to its high electrical conductivity; in the jewelry and precious metals processing industry for jewelry manufacturing, restoration and silverware; in the medical device industry for manufacturing equipment where corrosion resistance and cleanliness are critical; and in the food processing industry for the manufacture and repair of food processing equipment.
02
Silver-copper brazing material
Silver-copper brazing material is a binary alloy composed of silver (Ag) and copper (Cu), usually in the ratio of 72/28 or 80/20, and the brazing temperature of this brazing material is about 820℃-870℃. The presence of copper improves the mechanical strength and toughness of the brazing material, while maintaining good wettability and electrical conductivity. Silver-Copper 28 is a eutectic alloy with excellent fluidity and outstanding wettability and diffusivity. It is one of the most widely used and cost-effective silver brazing alloys for vacuum and controlled atmosphere brazing, and is ideally suited for joining copper, carbon steel, Kovar, nickel-based alloys and metallized ceramics.
Applications: Silver-copper brazing alloys are widely used in applications where high strength is required. The robustness of the material makes it suitable for components subjected to mechanical stress or thermal cycling, such as automotive components, refrigeration systems and high-temperature metal structures.
03
Silver-copper-titanium brazing material
AgCuTi is a silver-based ternary active brazing alloy containing copper and titanium, with suitable solid/liquid phase line temperatures, excellent wettability and high brazing node strength and other properties, it is an ideal brazing material for connecting metals with many ceramics and carbon materials, and solves many of the traditional brazing problems.
Applications: AgCuTi active brazing material is one of the commonly used AMB active brazing materials, which can wet oxide, carbide, nitride and carbon substrate, and is widely used in IGBT; AgCuTi brazing material's conductive and thermally conductive properties make it able to withstand high currents and high temperatures in electrical equipment, and is widely used as brazing material for HVAC and refrigeration systems; its high wear and corrosion resistance can be used for brazing Its high abrasion and corrosion resistance can be used to braze aerospace and industrial turbine engine nozzles, engine sensor components and new turbine blade systems.
04
Silver-copper-zinc brazing material
AgCuZn brazing material has good electrical and thermal conductivity, low melting point, high strength and corrosion resistance. In the silver-based brazing material to add Zn elements, can significantly reduce the melting temperature of AgCuZn brazing material, narrow the interval of the melting temperature of the brazing material, reduce the viscosity of the brazing material, improve the fluidity of the brazing material, improve the brazing performance of the material.
Application: AgCuZn brazing material is non-toxic and harmless, as a class of green environmentally friendly hard brazing material, widely used in electronics, refrigeration, shield equipment, eyeglasses and other manufacturing industries, used to weld a variety of steel, high-temperature nickel-based alloys, copper-based alloys and other materials.
05
Silver-copper-zinc-nickel brazing material
The typical composition of Ag-Cu-Zn-Ni is 40/30/28/2. The addition of nickel metal element can increase the melting point of the alloy brazing material, and can enhance the wettability of the brazing material, the formation of alloys at the grain boundaries and can improve the strength of the joint. At the same time, the nickel element can also improve the corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance and mechanical properties of the brazing material, especially toughness.
Applications: Ag-Cu-Zn-Ni brazing consumables have a wider melting range and a slightly higher melting temperature, which makes them particularly suitable for environments experiencing high temperatures, high pressures and corrosive conditions, and are commonly used for brazing copper, brass, steel, nickel alloys, stainless steels and tungsten carbide with steel and tool steel. It is widely used in aerospace applications requiring high reliability and durability, in chemical processing equipment and precision instruments, and in medical equipment requiring high biocompatibility and strength.
06
Silver-Copper-Phosphorus Brazing Materials
The phosphorus element in AgCuP brazing consumables helps to improve the self-fluxing ability of the brazing consumables, thus eliminating the need for additional flux during the brazing process. The brazing consumables have good flow and wetting properties and are specifically designed for brazing copper and copper alloys.
Applications: Ideal for joining copper and copper alloys, AgCuP brazing consumables are popular in the HVAC industry, where they are commonly used in the HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) industry for joining copper tubes and assemblies in refrigeration systems, heat exchangers and air conditioning units, and in the automotive sector for soldering fuel lines and transmission components; the low melting point and self-fluxing properties also make them suitable for piping applications and other Copper-based connections.
Second, silver-based brazing material research progress and direction
With the growing demand for advanced joining materials in modern manufacturing, silver-based brazing materials have become the subject of extensive research. The main areas of concern include the development of low melting point solder, environmentally friendly solder, high-strength solder, etc., in order to improve brazing performance.
1、Low melting point silver-based brazing material
First, silver-based brazing material classification and application
Silver-based brazing material is mainly classified according to its alloy composition, the most common types include pure silver brazing material, silver-copper brazing material, silver-copper titanium brazing material, silver-copper zinc brazing material, silver-copper zinc-nickel brazing material, and silver-copper phosphorus brazing material. Each type of brazing material has unique properties that make it suitable for different applications. The following are some of the commonly used silver-based brazing materials and their properties and applications:
01
Pure silver brazing material
Composed entirely of silver, with a melting point of 961.8°C, pure silver brazing material has excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, making it ideal for applications requiring minimal resistance and high heat transfer. The brazing material also has excellent wettability, ensuring a strong bond between the joining materials.
Applications: in the electrical and electronics industry for joining electronic contacts, connectors and terminals due to its high electrical conductivity; in the jewelry and precious metals processing industry for jewelry manufacturing, restoration and silverware; in the medical device industry for manufacturing equipment where corrosion resistance and cleanliness are critical; and in the food processing industry for the manufacture and repair of food processing equipment.
02
Silver-copper brazing material
Silver-copper brazing material is a binary alloy composed of silver (Ag) and copper (Cu), usually in the ratio of 72/28 or 80/20, and the brazing temperature of this brazing material is about 820℃-870℃. The presence of copper improves the mechanical strength and toughness of the brazing material, while maintaining good wettability and electrical conductivity. Silver-Copper 28 is a eutectic alloy with excellent fluidity and outstanding wettability and diffusivity. It is one of the most widely used and cost-effective silver brazing alloys for vacuum and controlled atmosphere brazing, and is ideally suited for joining copper, carbon steel, Kovar, nickel-based alloys and metallized ceramics.
Applications: Silver-copper brazing alloys are widely used in applications where high strength is required. The robustness of the material makes it suitable for components subjected to mechanical stress or thermal cycling, such as automotive components, refrigeration systems and high-temperature metal structures.
03
Silver-copper-titanium brazing material
AgCuTi is a silver-based ternary active brazing alloy containing copper and titanium, with suitable solid/liquid phase line temperatures, excellent wettability and high brazing node strength and other properties, it is an ideal brazing material for connecting metals with many ceramics and carbon materials, and solves many of the traditional brazing problems.
Applications: AgCuTi active brazing material is one of the commonly used AMB active brazing materials, which can wet oxide, carbide, nitride and carbon substrate, and is widely used in IGBT; AgCuTi brazing material's conductive and thermally conductive properties make it able to withstand high currents and high temperatures in electrical equipment, and is widely used as brazing material for HVAC and refrigeration systems; its high wear and corrosion resistance can be used for brazing Its high abrasion and corrosion resistance can be used to braze aerospace and industrial turbine engine nozzles, engine sensor components and new turbine blade systems.
04
Silver-copper-zinc brazing material
AgCuZn brazing material has good electrical and thermal conductivity, low melting point, high strength and corrosion resistance. In the silver-based brazing material to add Zn elements, can significantly reduce the melting temperature of AgCuZn brazing material, narrow the interval of the melting temperature of the brazing material, reduce the viscosity of the brazing material, improve the fluidity of the brazing material, improve the brazing performance of the material.
Application: AgCuZn brazing material is non-toxic and harmless, as a class of green environmentally friendly hard brazing material, widely used in electronics, refrigeration, shield equipment, eyeglasses and other manufacturing industries, used to weld a variety of steel, high-temperature nickel-based alloys, copper-based alloys and other materials.
05
Silver-copper-zinc-nickel brazing material
The typical composition of Ag-Cu-Zn-Ni is 40/30/28/2. The addition of nickel metal element can increase the melting point of the alloy brazing material, and can enhance the wettability of the brazing material, the formation of alloys at the grain boundaries and can improve the strength of the joint. At the same time, the nickel element can also improve the corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance and mechanical properties of the brazing material, especially toughness.
Applications: Ag-Cu-Zn-Ni brazing consumables have a wider melting range and a slightly higher melting temperature, which makes them particularly suitable for environments experiencing high temperatures, high pressures and corrosive conditions, and are commonly used for brazing copper, brass, steel, nickel alloys, stainless steels and tungsten carbide with steel and tool steel. It is widely used in aerospace applications requiring high reliability and durability, in chemical processing equipment and precision instruments, and in medical equipment requiring high biocompatibility and strength.
06
Silver-Copper-Phosphorus Brazing Materials
The phosphorus element in AgCuP brazing consumables helps to improve the self-fluxing ability of the brazing consumables, thus eliminating the need for additional flux during the brazing process. The brazing consumables have good flow and wetting properties and are specifically designed for brazing copper and copper alloys.
Applications: Ideal for joining copper and copper alloys, AgCuP brazing consumables are popular in the HVAC industry, where they are commonly used in the HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) industry for joining copper tubes and assemblies in refrigeration systems, heat exchangers and air conditioning units, and in the automotive sector for soldering fuel lines and transmission components; the low melting point and self-fluxing properties also make them suitable for piping applications and other Copper-based connections.
Second, silver-based brazing material research progress and direction
With the growing demand for advanced joining materials in modern manufacturing, silver-based brazing materials have become the subject of extensive research. The main areas of concern include the development of low melting point solder, environmentally friendly solder, high-strength solder, etc., in order to improve brazing performance.
1、Low melting point silver-based brazing material
