Oxidizing Behaviors of Kovar Alloy under Different Atmospheric Environments

Abstract

The oxidizing behaviors of Kovar alloy under an air or humid nitrogen atmospheres were systematically investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometer were used to analyze the evolution in morphologies and elemental compositions under different processing protocols. Different from the loosely cylinder-like protrusions formed at grain boundaries under the air atmosphere, dense oxide layers with cracks were identified at grain boundaries under the wet nitrogen atmosphere. This difference is considered to be the origin of enhanced qualified rate of Kovar alloy to borosilicate glass sealing products prepared through the pre-oxidization under the wet nitrogen environment. These deep understandings are very helpful to obtain glass to metal seal with high quality through further optimizing the sealing process.

References

[1] Susan DF, Van JA, Avyle D, et al.. The Effects of Pre-Oxidation and Alloy Chemistry of Austenitic Stainless Steels on Glass/Metal Sealing. Oxid. Met, 2010, 73: 311-335. J].

[2] Lei DQ, Wang ZF, Wang ZJ, et al.. Effects of Geometry and Material Properties on the Residual Stress of Glass-to-metal Seals in Solar Receiver Tubes. Energy Procedia, 2014, 49: 418-427. J].

[3] Donald IW. Preparation, Properties and Chemistry of Glass-and Glass-Ceramic-to-Metal Seals and Coatings. J. Mater Sci., 1993, 28: 2 841-2 886. J].

[4] Donald IW, Mallinson PM, Bl, et al.. Recent Developments in the Preparation, Characterization and Applications of Glass- and Glass-Ceramic-to-Metal Seals and Coatings. J. Mater. Sci., 2011, 46: 1 975-2 000. J].

[5] Guo H, Dang M, Liu L, et al.. Alkali Barium Glasses for Hermetic Compression Seals: Compositional Effect, Processing, and Sealing Performance. Ceram. Int., 2019, 45: 22 589-22 595. J].

[6] Kuo C-h, Cheng P-y, Chou C-p, et al.. Matched Glass-to-Kovar Seals in N₂ and Ar Atmospheres. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2013, 20: 874-882. J].

[7] Chanmuang C, Naksata M, Chairuangsri T, et al.. Microscopy and Strength of Borosilicate Glass-to-Kovar Alloy Joints. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2008, 474: 218-224. J].

[8] Zanchetta A, Lefort P, Gabbay E, et al.. Thermal Expansion and Adhesion of Ceramic to Metal Sealings: Case of Porcelain-Kovar Junctions. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 1995, 15: 233-238. J].

[9] Piscitelli R, Rhee SK, Bradley FN, et al.. Oxidation of Fe-29Ni-17Co Alloy. ElectrochemJ. Soc., 1976, 123: 929-933. J].

[10] Stephens JJ, Greulich FA, Beavis LC, et al.. High Temperature Grain Growth and Oxidation of Fe-29Ni-17Co (Kovar) Alloy Leads. Presented at the Minerals, Metals, and Materials, 1992. Chicago, IL, Society/American Society for Metals (TMS/ASM) Materials Week. [R].

[11] Klein IE, Yaniv AE, Sharon J, et al.. The Oxidation Mechanism of Fe-Ni-Co alloys. Oxid. Met., 1981, 16: 99-106. J].

[12] Yext W, Shook B, Katzenberger W, et al.. Improved Glass-to-Metal Sealing Through Furnace Atmosphere Composition Control, IEEE Trans. Compon Hybrids. Manuf. Technol., 1983, 6: 455-459. [J].

[13] Luo D, Leng W, Shen Z, et al.. Effect of Kovar Alloy Oxidized in Simulated N2/H₂O Atmosphere on Its Sealing with Glass. J. Univ. Sci. Material. Technol. Beijing, 2008, 15: 267-271. J].

[14] Luo DW, Shen ZS. Oxidation Behavior of Kovar Alloy in Controlled Atmosphere. Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.), 2008, 21: 409-418. J].

[15] Yates PM, Mallinson CF, Mallinson PM, et al.. An Investigation into the Nature of the Oxide Layer Formed on Kovar (Fe-29Ni-17Co) Wires Following Oxidation in Air at 700 and 800 °C. Oxid. Met., 2017, 88: 733-747. J].

[16] Hilders OA, Zambrano N, Caballero R, et al.. Microstructure, Strength, and Fracture Topography Relations in AISI 316L Stainless Steel, as Seen through a Fractal Approach and the Hall-Petch Law. Int. Met J., 2015, 2015: 624 653. [J].

[17] Xu CH, Gao W. Pilling-Bedworth Ratio for Oxidation of Alloys. Mater. Res. Innovations, 2000, 3: 231-235. J].

[18] Jones DA. Principles and Prevention of Corrosion, 2010. Oxford, Alpha Science International. [M].

[19] Shan Z, Zhao T, Ke X, et al.. Oxygen Tri-clusters Make Glass Highly Crack-Resistant. Acta Mater., 2024, 262: 119 425. J].

[20] Xiong S, Wang R, Tao H, et al.. Ultrafast Laser Micromachining the Ultra-low Expansion Glass-Ceramic: Optimization of Processing Parameters and Physical Mechanism. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 2021, 41: 5 990-5 999. J].

[21] Bautista A, Velasco F, Campos M, et al.. Oxidation Behavior at 900 °C of Austenitic, Ferritic, and Duplex Stainless Steels Manufactured by Powder Metallurgy. Oxid. Met., 2003, 59: 373-393. J].

[22] Buscail H, Messki SE, Riffard F, et al.. Issartel, Characterization of the Oxides Formed at 1 000 °C on the AISI 316L Stainless Steel—Role of Molybdenum. Mater. PhysChem., 2008, 111: 491-496. [J].

[23] Airiskallio E, Nurmi E, Heinonen MH, et al.. High Temperature Oxidation of Fe-Al and Fe-Cr-Al Alloys: The role of Cr as a Chemically Active Element. Corros. Sci., 2010, 52: 3 394-3 404. J].

[24] Li S, Hu K, Hui W, et al.. Morphological Evolution of Oxide Layer and Its Effect on Glass-to-Metal Seal. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 2020, 549: 120 355. J].

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Wuhan University of Technology and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, Part of Springer Nature