Brazing of stainless steel to various aluminum alloys in air

Brazing of a stainless steel to various aluminum alloys was carried out using an Al-Si filler metal and a fluoride-active flux in air. The brazeability was remarkably different by the aluminum alloys and the brazing conditions. It was considered that the differences were originated with the compositions of base metals and the filler metal, the solidus temperature and the partially melting behavior of the aluminum alloys, and the behavior of the surface oxide film layers of both base metals. On the other hand, the obstruction of brazeability was identified as the rapid reaction between the aluminum alloys and the brazing filler metal, which makes the molten brazing filler metal disappear at the joining inter-face before the wetting occurs to the stainless steel. Taking this phenomena into consideration, it was attempted to make previous wetting of the brazing filler to the stainless steel before brazing to the aluminum alloys. This method provided the successful brazed joints for the most combinations of the stainless steel and the aluminum alloys.