Wettability and interfacial reaction mechanism between Ag–Cu alloy and Si3N4 ceramics in air atmosphere

Abstract The wetting behaviour and interfacial reaction mechanism between Ag–Cu alloy fillers (with varying copper contents) and Si3N4 ceramics using reactive air brazing at 970 °C were systematically investigated. As the copper content increased, the contact angles of the Ag–Cu filler on the Si3N4 ceramics decreased. A violent boiling-like interfacial reaction was observed during the experiment, and mass spectrometry analysis identified the gaseous products as N2, NO and NO2. The solid products SiO2 and Cu–O formed at the interface, and the interfacial reactions improved the wettability of the Ag–Cu filler on the Si3N4 ceramics. Owing to buoyancy and the pushing of the gases, the interfacial products floated to the surface of the filler and their distribution increased along with the increasing copper content. Two different microstructures were formed at the interface near the triple line. Thick and thin SiO2 layers were respectively formed on the triple line interface of the fillers with low (Ag–3Cu/Ag–5Cu) and high (Ag–6.6Cu/Ag–16Cu) copper content. The interfacial bonding zones formed in Ag–5Cu, Ag–6.6Cu, and Ag–16Cu samples indicated that the corresponding Ag–Cu fillers were effectively brazed with the Si3N4 ceramics.