Brazing of titanium-vapor-coated silicon nitride

A technique for brazing Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} with metallic alloys was evaluated. The process involved vapor coating the ceramic with a 1.0-{mu}-thick layer of titanium before the brazing operation. The coating improved wetting of the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surfaces to the extent that strong bonding between the solidified braze filler metal and the ceramic occurred. Braze joints of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were made with Ag-Cu, Au-Ni, and Au-Ni-Pd alloys at temperatures of 790{degree}, 970{degree}, and 1,130{degree}C. Silicon nitride specimens were also brazed with a Ag-Cu alloy to the molybdenum alloy TZM, titanium, and A286 steel at 790{degree}C. Residual stresses resulting from mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and the metals caused all of the ceramic-to-metal joints to spontaneously crack in the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} upon cooling from the brazing temperature.