Flux Residue – Part 2

,

Approach to non-corrosive fluxes for further reduced residue solubility and improved magnesium tolerance
Technical Information by Ulrich Seseke-Koyro, Hans-Walter Swidersky, Leszek Orman, Andreas Becker, Alfred Ottmann
We split the article in four parts:

  1. Abstract and Basic Experimental Laboratory Procedures
  2. Reduced Flux Residue Solubility
  3. Improved Magnesium Tolerance
  4. Summary and Outlook

Reduced Flux Residue Solubility

The water solubility of standard NOCOLOK® Flux is 4.5 g/l, whereas for post-braze flux residue (pbr) it is 2.7 g/l. Post-braze residue of NOCOLOK® Li Flux shows a solubility of 2.2 g/l [1].

In the periodic table of chemical elements the group I fluorides have a reasonable low solubility (LiF: 2.7g/l [20°C]), but their Al-F-complexes much lower (Li3AlF6: 1.1g/l , K2LiAlF6: 0.3g/l with about 183 mg F-/l, K3AlF6: 2g/l), the group II fluorides (Alkaline Earth Fluorides “AEF”) show very low solubility (MgF2: 0.13g/l, CaF2: 0.016g/l, SrF2: 0.12g/l [25°C], BaF2: 0.12g/l [25°C]) [5]. Based on the facts of the dissolution behaviour of NOCOLOK® Li and the much lower solubility of the AEFs, we started investigating combinations of potas-sium fluoroaluminate fluxes with selected AEFs to combine the brazing characteristics of NOCOLOK® type flux with the very low solubility of AEF.

NOCOLOK® Flux consists of potassium fluoroalumi-nates with a specific ratio of KAlF4 and K2AlF5. Each of these compounds has different solubility. The combination of the (pure) compounds with different AEFs was of our main interest. We melted and pulverized the flux blends, dissolved them in a defined amount of DI-water and analyzed for K, Al and F.

The data achieved form these experiments is illus-trated in figure 1:

Flux-Residue-dia-1

Fig. 1: Solubility of flux blends – melted and pulverized
(lines are used to illustrate differences of the blends)

Considering minor statistical variations, the results look quite reasonable, with the blend of NOCOLOK® Li/BaF2 showing the lowest K value. This observation can be explained by the low solubility of NOCOLOK® Li Flux. Of more relevance is the actual post-braze solubility (flux residue) on brazed Al surfaces. Interactions of base material and molten filler metal may have a more complex chemical impact on the solubility behaviour

The results from coupon brazing under laboratory conditions and the solubility of the flux residue can be seen in figure 2.

Flux-Residue-dia-2

Fig. 2: Post-braze fluoride solubility of selected flux/ AEF combinations on Al coupons
(lines are used to illustrate differences of the blends)

Among the combination of NOCOLOK® type fluxes with diverse AEF additions, KAlF4/BaF2 shows the lowest residue F– solubility, i.e. 4mg/l. All our laboratory brazing tests with the samples showed the same good results like with standard NOCOLOK® Flux.

Corrosion comparison tests will be subject for future investigations.

To be continued…


  1. P Garcia et al, Solubility Characteristics of Potassium Fluoroaluminate Flux and Residues, 2nd Int. Alum. Congress HVAC&R, Dusseldorf (2011)
  2. P Garcia et al., Solubility and Hydrolysis of Fluoroaluminates in Post-Braze Flux Residue, 13th AFC Holcroft Invitational Aluminum Brazing Seminar, Novi (2008)
  3. J Garcia et al, Brazeability of Aluminium Alloys Containing Magnesium by CAB Process Using Cs Flux, VTMS5, 2001-01-1763 (2001)
  4. H Johannson et al, Controlled Atmosphere Brazing of Heat Treatable Alloys With Cesium Flux, VTMS6 C599/03/2003 (2003)
  5. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics; Ref. BaSO4: 0.0025 g/l
  6. U Seseke, Structure and Effect – Mechanism of Flux Containing Cesium, 2nd Int. Alum. Brazing Con., Düsseldorf (2002)
0 Kommentare

Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

An der Diskussion beteiligen?
Hinterlasse uns deinen Kommentar!

Schreibe einen Kommentar

Deine E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht veröffentlicht.