Control of Interfacial Reactivity Between ZrB2 and Ni-Based Brazing Alloys

Transition metals diborides (Ti,Zr,Hf)B2 play a key role in applications where stability at extremely high temperatures and damage tolerance are required; however, much research has still to be done to optimize the joining of these materials to themselves or to other high-temperature materials. In this study, the reactivity at the solid-liquid interface between ZrB2 ceramics and Ni-based brazing alloys has been addressed; it is shown how the reactivity and the dissolution of the solid phase can be controlled and even suppressed by adjusting the brazing alloy composition on the basis of thermodynamic calculations. Wetting experiments on ZrB2 ceramics by Ni, Ni-B 17 at.%, and Ni-B 50 at.% were performed at 1500 and 1200 C by the sessile drop technique. The obtained interfaces were characterized by optical microscopy and SEMEDS, and interpreted by means of the ad hoc-calculated B-Ni-Zr ternary diagram. A correlation among microstructures, substrate dissolution, shape of the drops, spreading kinetics, and the phase diagram was found. The effect on the interfacial reactivity of Si3Ni4 used as a sintering aid and issues related to Si diffusion into the brazing alloy are discussed as well.