The Technology
Self-passivating metals—including aluminum, titanium, chromium, tantalum and stainless steel—develop a protective oxide layer when exposed to air. While this layer provides valuable corrosion resistance, it also limits surface reactivity and makes processes such as welding, soldering, brazing, metal deposition and electrochemical utilization more difficult.
In aluminum welding, for example, the native oxide layer reforms rapidly and melts at a substantially higher temperature than the underlying metal. Conventional processes therefore rely on high energy input, inert shielding gases and careful process control, increasing equipment requirements, consumable costs and the risk of overheating, burn-through and distortion.
This patented surface-activation technology uses a fluoroanion-containing composition to remove the native oxide layer and temporarily maintain an activated metal surface. By addressing the oxide barrier before processing, the technology can enable joining at lower energy input and, in certain applications, eliminate the need for inert-gas shielding. More broadly, it provides a platform for improving the joining, coating and electrochemical use of metals that are normally difficult to process.
Advantages
- Lower-energy welding of self-passivating metals in ambient air
- Reduced or eliminated consumption of inert shielding gases
- Lower risk of overheating, distortion and damage to sensitive components
- Activation of metal surfaces without relying on the joining process to melt the oxide layer
- Potentially simpler and more flexible processing in factory and field environments
- Applicable to multiple self-passivating metals and alloys
Applications and Opportunities
- Welding of lightweight, thin or dimension-sensitive components in the automotive, aerospace, marine and precision-engineering industries
- Soldering and brazing of aluminum and other difficult-to-join metals
- Joining of battery components, electrical connections, heat exchangers and HVAC systems
- Repair and maintenance of aluminum and other self-passivating metal structures
- Metal plating, electrodeposition and functional surface coatings
- Activation of aluminum and other passive-metal electrodes for metal-based batteries
- Surface preparation for additional coating, bonding and metallization applications
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