SOLDERABLE STAINLESS STEEL

• Main Authors: EDWIN RUSSELL KOONS, JEFFREY P. RUPLEY, RALPH G. PARKER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.01.1972
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES ORLIGHT-SENSITIVE DEVICES, OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

Means and method for rendering solderable a stainless steel body resistant to corrosive attack from common electrolytes. The method includes the steps of covering at least one surface of a stainless steel body with layers of metal including a first metal layer selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and chromium which serves as a barrier layer to the diffusion of a subsequent metal layer or layers therethrough to the stainless steel body. The subsequent metal layer is resistant to corrosive attack from common electrolytes and is solderable. The subsequent metal layer consists of silver alloyed with a noble metal selected from the group consisting of gold, palladium, platinum, rhenium and osmium. The alloy layer may be formed by covering the barrier layer with a layer of silver and then a layer of gold or one of the other metals. The layered stainless steel body is heated to a temperature below the melting point temperature of the metal layer having the lowest melting point so that the layers, with the exception of the barrier layer, diffuse into one another, thereby forming the alloy layer overlaying the barrier layer which is resistant to corrosive attack from common electrolytes and is solderable. The stainless steel body is rendered solderable.