Mechanical properties and dual atmosphere tolerance of Ag-Al based braze
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Reactive air brazing (RAB) based on the silver-copper oxide system was recently developed for use in sealing high-temperature electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cells. One of the concerns regarding the viability of this joining technique is the long-term stability of silver-based alloys under a high-temperature, dual oxidizing/reducing gas environment. One possible solution to improve the dual atmosphere tolerance of the silver-based system is the addition of elements which can preferentially react with oxygen over hydrogen and minimize the pore formation caused by the reaction of oxygen with hydrogen in the silver matrix. In this paper, the effects of aluminum addition into silver-based air braze filler materials on microstructure, mechanical properties, and high temperature dual atmosphere tolerance were investigated using foils and pastes of aluminum-added braze filler materials. Joints brazed with binary Ag-Al braze foils containing more than 2 at% of Al retained a metallic form of aluminum in the metallic braze filler matrix after brazing at 1000°C in air. The flexural strength of joints prepared with binary Ag-Al braze foils decreased with increase in Al content due to the formation of interfacial aluminum oxide. The existence of metallic aluminum in the braze filler matrix, however, enhanced the high temperature dual atmosphere tolerance of the silver-based braze filler, showing smaller size of porosity after dual reducing/oxidizing atmosphere tests at 800°C for 1000 hrs. The Binary and ternary braze pastes based on the Ag-Al(-Cu) system were also tried as a sealant. Alumina joints brazed with these pastes showed increase in flexural strength with Cu content. However, a braze filler containing 5 at% Al and 8 at% Cu possessed nearly no metallic aluminum in the braze filler matrix after brazing, while the as-brazed sample prepared using a binary braze filler with 5 at% Al kept some metallic Al in the braze matrix. Thus, the addition of copper did not give a positive influence on the dual atmosphere tolerance of the silber-based braze filler materials as indicated by large pores caused by dual atmosphere embrittlement.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 949923
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-55673; AA2530000
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 33, Issue 14; ISSN 0360-3199
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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