REACTION BETWEEN TITANIUM AND B2O3 MELT GLASS

Reaction between Ti metal and B2O3 is investigated using x-ray, photoe lectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and wavelength disp ersive spectrometry mapping techniques because titanium-to-berate glas s seals have great potential for use in biomedical and aerospace appli cations Immediately after the deposition of a 3 nm thick titanium film under UHV conditions on in situ fractured B2O3 at room temperature, T iBx Ti-O-B and Ti-O-Ti linkages are formed. The fallowing initial reac tion occurs at the Ti-B2O3 interface Ti+xB(2)O(3)-->TiB2x-2+B2O3-y+(1/ 2)(y+3+-3)O-2 In situ heating of the film leads to the incorporation o f released oxygen in both the product TiBx layer and the titanium film . TiBx precipitates are formed on the titanium side of diffusion coupl es prepared at 1000 degrees C. The implications of these results for g lass-to-metal adherence are discussed.