Joining of difficult-to-weld materials and sintering of powders using a low-temperature vaporization material

Abstract

The present invention discloses a process for sintering particles using a sintering aid. The sintering aid can be brought into contact with a plurality of particles to be sintered such that a mixture of the particles and the sintering aid is provided. The mixture of particles and the sintering aid is heated and at least part of the sintering aid is vaporized. Sintering of the particles to form a sintered component followed by cooling of the sintered component can complete the process, or in the alternative, a subsequent heating step or steps can be included whereby additional vaporization of the sintering aid can occur.

1 . A process for sintering particles, the process comprising:
 providing a plurality of particles;   providing a sintering aid;   bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles and making a mixture of particles and sintering aid;   heating the mixture of particles and sintering aid whereby vaporizing at least part of the sintering aid and sintering of the particles to form a sintered component occurs; and   cooling of the sintered component.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the sintering aid is selected from the group consisting of a low melting point metal and a low melting point alloy. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the sintering aid contains zinc. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the sintering aid is a zinc alloy. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles is metallic. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of particles is metallic alloy particles. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is coating the plurality of particles with the sintering aid. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is mechanically mixing the plurality of particles with a plurality of sintering aid particles. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is passing a vapor of the sintering aid past the plurality of particles whereby the vapor comes into contact with a surface of at least part of the plurality of particles. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is passing a liquid of the sintering aid past the plurality of particles whereby the liquid comes into contact with a surface of at least part of the plurality of particles. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture of particles and sintering aid are heated while under an external pressure. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the heating continues and the external pressure is removed after the forming of sintered component occurs. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein at least part of the sintering aid is vaporized after the external pressure is removed. 
   
   
       14 . A process for sintering particles, the process comprising:
 providing a plurality of metallic particles;   providing a sintering aid in the form of a low melting material;   bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles and making a mixture of particles and sintering aid;   heating the mixture of particles and sintering aid;   vaporizing at least part of the sintering aid;   sintering the particles to form a sintered component; and   cooling of the sintered component.   
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the sintering aid contains zinc. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the sintering aid is in the form of particles containing zinc. 
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is mechanically mixing the plurality of particles with the sintering aid particles containing zinc. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is coating the plurality of particles with the sintering aid. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein bringing the sintering aid into contact with the plurality of particles is passing a vapor of the sintering aid past the plurality of particles whereby the vapor comes into contact with a surface of at least part of the plurality of particles. 
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 19 , further including heating the sintered component in a vacuum after it has cooled.