Brazing sheet product and method of manufacturing an assembly using the brazing sheet product

• US 20010040180A1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corus Aluminium Walzprodukte GmbH
• Original Assignee: Corus Aluminium Walzprodukte GmbH
• Inventors: Wittebrood, Adrianus Jacobus, Wijenberg, Jacques Hubert Olga Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 6,391,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/219
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/002 at least one of the workpieces being of light metal
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/0238 layered
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/286 Al as the principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/12 at least one layer being of nickel or chromium
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/44 Aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/611 Smooth layers
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/3433 with dimples extending from both sides of the spacer sheet
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/3455 with trapezoidal corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/3466 with sinusoidal corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/3472 with multiple layers of profiled spacer sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/935 Electroplating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/936 Chemical deposition, e.g. electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12722 Next to Group VIII metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12736 Al-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12764 Next to Al-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12792 Zn-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12944 Ni-base component

Abstract

A brazing sheet product having a core sheet (1) made of an aluminium alloy, having one or both of the surfaces of the core sheet clad with an aluminium clad layer (2), and a layer (3) comprising nickel on the outersurface of one or both the aluminium clad layer or layers (2). There is a layer (4) comprising zinc or tin as a bonding layer between the outersurface of the aluminium clad layer or layers (2) and the layer (3) comprising nickel. The aluminium clad alloy layer comprises, in weight percent: Si 2 to 18, Mg up to 8.0, Zn up to 5.0, Cu up to 5.0, Mn up to 0.30, In up to 0.30, Fe up to 0.80, Sr up to 0.20, at least one element selected from the group consisting of: Bi 0.01 to 1.0, Pb 0.01 to 1.0, Li 0.01 to 1.0, Sb 0.01 to 1.0, impurities each up to 0.05, total up to 0.20; and balance aluminium.

Claims

1. Brazing sheet product comprising:

a core sheet (1) made of an aluminium alloy;

an aluminium clad layer (2) cladding at least one of the surfaces of said core sheet;

a layer (3) comprising nickel on the outersurface of one or both said aluminium clad layer or layers (2); and

a layer (4) comprising zinc or tin as a bonding layer between said outersurface of said aluminium clad layer or layers and said layer (3) comprising nickel;

wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) is made of an alloy which comprises, in weight percent;

Si2 to 18Mgup to 8.0Znup to 5.0Cuup to 5.0Mnup to 0.30Inup to 0.30Feup to 0.80Srup to 0.20

at least one element selected from the group consisting of;

Bi0.01 to 1.0Pb0.01 to 1.0Li0.01 to 1.0Sb0.01 to 1.0

impurities each up to 0.05, total impurities up to 0.20, balance aluminium.

2. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said bonding layer (4) is an electroplated layer.

3. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said bonding layer (4) has a thickness of not more than 0.5 μ

m.

4. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 3

, wherein said bonding layer (4) has a thickness in the range 20 to 150 nm.

5. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said layer (3) comprising nickel has a thickness of not more than 2.0 μ

m.

6. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) contains by weight Mg in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 5.0%.

7. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) contains by weight Zn in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 3.0%.

8. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) contains by weight Bi in an amount in the range of 0.01 to 0.5%.

9. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said core sheet (1) is coupled to said aluminium clad layer (2) via an intermediate layer (5).

10. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said core sheet (1) is an aluminium alloy comprising magnesium in an amount in the range of up to 8.0%.

11. An assembly of components joined by brazing, at least one said components being a brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

.

12. A method of manufacturing an assembly of brazed components, comprising the sequential process steps of:

(a) forming said components of which at least one is made from brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

;

(b) assembling the components into an assembly;

(c) brazing the assembly under a vacuum or in an inert atmosphere in the absence of a brazing-flux at elevated temperature for a period long enough for melting and spreading of the clad layer; and

(d) cooling the brazed assembly.

13. A method of use of an aluminium clad alloy in a brazing sheet according to

claim 1

comprising brazing an assembly comprising said aluminium clad alloy.

14. A method of use of an aluminium clad alloy according to

claim 1

comprising brazing an assembly comprising said aluminium clad alloy in an inert atmosphere brazing process in the absence of a brazing-flux material.

15. The method of use according to

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

Si 2 to 18

Bi 0.01 to 1.0

elements other than aluminium, Si and Bi, each up to 0.05%, total up to 0.20%

balance aluminium.

16. The method of use according to

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

17. The method of use according to

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

18. The method of use according to

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

19. The method of use according the

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

20. The method of use according the

claim 14

, wherein the aluminium clad alloy comprises, in weight %,

21. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) contains by weight Mg in an amount in the range of 0.2 to 2.0%.

22. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein the total of Bi, Pb, Li and Sb contained by said aluminium clad layer (2) is by weight an amount in the range of ≦

1.0%.

23. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said bonding layer (4) has a thickness of not more than 0.3 μ

m.

24. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein said layer (3) comprising nickel has a thickness of not more than 1.0 μ

m.

25. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 1

, wherein the aluminium clad layer (2) alloy consists of, in weight percent:

26. Brazing sheet product according to

claim 25

, wherein said aluminium clad layer (2) contains by weight Mg in an amount in the range of 0.2 to 2.0%.