Brazing of copper to stainless steel with a low-silver-content brazing filler metal

Abstract

The brazing of copper to stainless steel (SUS304 JIS) was performed using a low- silver-content brazing filler metal, Ag-50Cu, under an Ar gas atmosphere with a conventional furnace, owing to the potential economic benefits of using low-silver-content filler metals. The brazeability of the low-silver-content brazing filler metal to copper and SUS304 was investigated. A good joint was obtained, and a drastic dissolution reaction occurred at the copper side. Molten BAg8 penetrated along the crystal grain boundary of the copper base metal when BAg8 was used as the filler metal. This was caused by the dissolution of Ni from the stainless steel into the molten filler metal. Ag-50Cu, which was investigated in this work, can be used instead of BAg8 filler metal.