The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 27, 1994
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1993
George Strickland, Preston, GB;
Ian Bottomley, Preston, GB;
Christopher Somerton, Bristol, GB;
Steven Harris, Bristol, GB;
British Aerospace Public Limited Company, Farnborough, GB;
Abstract
The diffusion bonding of aluminum and aluminum alloys presents problems because, when left exposed to the atmosphere even for a short time, they acquire an extremely tenacious surface oxide layer that inhibits or prevents satisfactory diffusion bonding. Unlike titanium, this oxide layer is not absorbed at diffusion bonding temperatures. The present invention comprises a method of reducing oxidation of a surface of aluminum or aluminum alloy by causing a nitride film to form on the surface. This film is believed to prevent oxidation of the aluminum or aluminum alloy, but to be absorbable into it at diffusion bonding temperatures. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the nitride film is applied to the piece of aluminum or aluminum alloy (10) in a vacuum chamber (4) by sputtering with nitrogen ions, or by heating the piece (10) in a nitrogen gas atmosphere.