INVESTIGATION OF STIFFNESS AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF JOINTS SOLDERED WITHGAS-OXYGEN TORCH AND INFRARED METHODS

The stiffness of soldered connectors fabricated with the gas-oxygen to rch technique was compared with those fabricated with the infrared tec hnique. Untreated solder materials were used as controls. Untreated so lder materials of gold-palladium, palladium-silver, and chromium-cobal t alloys exhibited significantly higher stiffness than the soldered sp ecimens fabricated with either method. There was no significant differ ence between the gas-oxygen torch and the infrared groups of the gold- palladium and palladium-silver alloys. Photomicrographs revealed that the soldered specimens displayed porosities. For the chromium-cobalt a lloy, the infrared group demonstrated significantly higher stiffness t han the gas-oxygen torch group. Photomicrographs also disclosed that t he chromium-cobalt alloy soldered with the gas-oxygen torch technique had a significant heat-affected zone.