99 -- Joining Metals and Oxides without Brazing

Joining Metals and Oxides without Brazing Basic research at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, has discovered a method to make strong interfaces between metals and oxides without the use of brazing. After appropriate oxide surface preparation, a surfactant exists at sub-monolayer coverage. These entities serve as anchors for metal atoms. The method was demonstrated experimentally for copper on alpha-alumina, but has also been understood using first principles calculations. The latter predict it will work well with most metals. It is a vacuum technique to maintain surface cleanliness. The metal can be laid slowly, such as by sputter deposition, or rapidly, such as by diffusion bonding under pressure. Sandia (www.sandia.gov) is seeking partners to further develop and apply this technology. For many of the potential applications, we expect our partners may need to fund additional development work at Sandia. For further information please respond by mail or fax to Alane Dulski within 2 weeks at: Sandia National Laboratories, MS 0115, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-0115, Fax: +1 (555) 000-0000. Please indicate the date and title of this notice, the markets in which you would like to apply the technology, and the type of partnering agreements (more information can be found on the Sandia website) your company would be most interested in entering into.