Brazing of Porous Nickel to Copper and Stainless Steel: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

A porous nickel (Ni) was brazed to copper (Cu) and stainless steel 304 (SS304) using VZ2250 and MBF67 brazing filler metal with a composition of 77.4Cu-9.3Sn-7.0Ni-6.3P and 64.5Ni-25Cr-6P-1.5Si (Cu: Copper, Sn: Tin, Ni: Nickel, P: Phosphorus, Cr: Chromium, Si: Silicon), respectively for joint microstructure and mechanical properties analysis. Porous Ni with a pore density of 15 pores per inch (PPI) was sandwiched between Cu/VZ2250 and MBF67/SS304. A brazed joint of Cu/Porous Ni/SS304 with VZ2250 and MBF67 brazing filler metal was prepared in a high vacuum furnace at different brazing times of 5, 10, and 15 minutes for 1015 °C with a heating and cooling rate of 10 °C/min, respectively for comparison purpose. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the brazed joint were investigated to identify the joint ability after the brazing process. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the interfacial microstructure by the formation of the diffusion filler metal (dark grey colour) for the Cu/Porous Ni/SS304 with VZ2250 and MBF67 brazing filler metal. For shear strength tests, the value decreases with an increase in the brazing time. The shear strength tests for the brazed joint of Cu/Porous Ni/SS304 with VZ2250 and MBF67 brazing filler metal show the maximum shear strength test value can be achieved for the brazing time of 5 minutes. The decreasing shear strength value was observed with differences in structural data of porous Ni due to the softening after the brazing process. Keywords: Brazing, Microstructure, Porous Nickel, Shear Strength.