The corrosion behaviors of a series of Al-Si-Cu-based filler metals and the 6061-T6 butt joints brazed with these filler metals are evaluated by polarization tests and immersion tests in a 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution. For comparison, a traditional Al-12Si filler metal is also employed. The results indicate that the Al-Si-Cu-based filler metals before brazing possess much higher corrosion current densities and pitting tendencies than the Al-12Si filler metal. However, brazing of the 6061-T6 alloy with an Al-12Si filler metal produces a wider butt joint, which, in this case, creates a more extensive corrosion region. Severe galvanic corrosion occurs at the 6061-T6 joints when brazed with Al-Si-Cu-based filler metals. However, in the case of the 6061-T6/Al-12Si brazements, selective corrosion of the Al-12Si eutectic phase can be observed. The bonding strengths of the 6061-T6 butt joints brazed with various filler metals are also measured before and after the immersion tests.

For the soldering of recycled Ag sputtering targets, the interfacial reaction between liquid Sn and an Ag substrate at temperatures ranging from 250 –425°C has been investigated. Experimental results show that a scallop-shaped layer of Ag 3 Sn intermetallic compounds formed during the soldering reaction. Kinetics analysis indicated that the growth of such interfacial Ag 3 Sn intermetallic compounds is diffusion-controlled with activation energy of 70.3kJ/mol. During the reaction, the Ag substrate dissolves into the molten Sn solder and causes the appearance of needle-shaped Ag 3 Sn precipitates in the Sn matrix.

For the manufacturing of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding enclosures for portable 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronics) products, a superplastic Zn22Al thin sheet is inserted in between plastic plates and formed by in-mold blowing with gas pressure. In order to evaluate the formability of a plastic/Zn22Al/plastic sandwiched structure, free bulging tests are conducted in the temperature range between 135degreesC and 200degreesC in an infrared furnace. The results show that the ABS/Zn22Al/ABS sandwiched structure can be free bulged at 150degreesC with 0.21 MPa of gas pressure at a forming rate similar to that of the monolithic Zn22Al sheet. The PC/Zn22Al/PC sandwiched structure cannot be effectively bulged until the forming temperature is raised to 185degreesC. The optimized forming condition for PC/Zn22Al/ABS is either at 150degreesC with a gas pressure of 0.35 MPa or at 165degreesC and a gas pressure setting of 0.21 MPa. Also, the thickness distributions for Zn22Al and a variety of plastic/Zn22Al/plastic specimens after free bulging at various temperatures with various gas pressures are placed in comparison in this study.

The interfacial reactions of liquid Sn and Sn-3.5Ag solders with Ag thick films are investigated in the temperature range from 250–325 °C, and the morphology of intermetallic compounds formed after such soldering reactions is observed. In kinetics analysis of the growths of intermetallic compounds, it was found that both Sn/Ag and Sn-3.5Ag/Ag reactions were interfacial-controlled, and the growth rates for both cases were similar. The rate of Ag dissolution into liquid solder attendant on the formation of interfacial intermetallic compounds after Sn/Ag reaction was about four times higher than that after Sn-3.5Ag/Ag reaction, as evidenced by experimental results.