Provided are a solder alloy, a solder paste, a solder ball, a solder preform, and a solder joint, which have a melting temperature within a predetermined range, and high tensile strength and shear strength, suppress generation of voids, and have excellent mountability due to their thin oxide films. The solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %, Ag: 2.5 to 3.7%, Cu: 0.25 to 0.95%, Bi: 3.0 to 3.9%, and In: 0.5 to 2.3%, with the balance being Sn, and the alloy composition satisfies the following relations (1) and (2): 8.1≤Ag+2Cu+Bi+In ≤11.5 (1), and 1.00≤(Bi+In)/Ag≤1.66 (2). Ag, Cu, Bi and In in the relations (1) and (2) each represent the contents (mass %) in the alloy composition.

A system for creating a braze joint within a component. The system includes an environment operable to reach a braze temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of a braze material. The system also includes a component within the environment, the component including a base having a base surface, a recess depending from the base surface into the base to an inner edge, and a braze material within the recess and forming a cap above the base surface. The braze material fills the recess from the cap to the inner edge. The cap has an exposed braze surface. The system also includes an insulation layer that at least partially covers the exposed braze surface.

Provided are a solder alloy and a solder joint which have high tensile strength, can suppress Ni leaching and can suppress generation of voids at a bonded interface. The solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %, Ag: 1.0 to 4.0%, Cu: 0.1 to 1.0%, Ni: 0.005 to 0.3%, Co: 0.003 to 0.1%, and Ge: 0.001 to 0.015% with the balance being Sn The alloy composition satisfies the following relation (1):

0.00030<(Ni/Co)×(1/Ag)×Ge<0.05   (1) Co, Ag, and Ge in the relation (1) each represent the contents (mass %) in the alloy composition.

A lead-free solder alloy comprising: from 2.5 to 5 wt. % silver; from 0.01 to 5 wt. % bismuth; from 1 to 7 wt. % antimony; from 0.01 to 2 wt. % copper; one or more of: up to 6 wt. % indium, up to 0.5 wt. % titanium, up to 0.5 wt. % germanium, up to 0.5 wt. % rare earths, up to 0.5 wt. % cobalt, up to 5.0 wt. % aluminium, up to 5.0 wt. % silicon, up to 0.5 wt. % manganese, up to 0.5 wt. % chromium, up to 0.5 wt. % iron, up to 0.5 wt. % phosphorus, up to 0.5 wt. % gold, up to 1 wt. % gallium, up to 0.5 wt. % tellurium, up to 0.5 wt. % selenium, up to 0.5 wt. % calcium, up to 0.5 wt. % vanadium, up to 0.5 wt. % molybdenum, up to 0.5 wt. % platinum, and up 0 to 0.5 wt. % magnesium; optionally up to 0.5 wt. % nickel; and the balance tin together with any unavoidable impurities.

Provided are a lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy, a solder ball, and a solder joint that have improved shear strength obtained by grain minuteness at a bonded interface and can suppress fusion failure. The lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy having an alloy composition consisting of, by mass%, 0.1 to 4.5% of Ag, 0.20 to 0.85% of Cu, 0.2 to 5.00% of Bi, 0.005 to 0.09% of Ni, and 0.0005 to 0.0090% of Ge with the balance being Sn, and the alloy composition satisfies the following relations (1) and (2): 0.013 ≤ (Ag + Cu + Ni + Bi) x Ge ≤ 0.027 (1), Sn x Cu x Ni ≤ 5.0 (2). Ag, Cu, Ni, Bi, Ge, and Sn in the relations (1) and (2) each represent the contents (mass%) in the alloy composition.

Provided are a lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy, a solder ball, and a solder joint, which have improved shear strength obtained by grain minuteness at a bonded interface and can suppress fusion failure. The lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %, 0.1 to 4.5% of Ag, 0.20 to 0.85% of Cu, 0.005 to 0.090% of Ni, and 0.0005 to 0.0090% of Ge with the balance being Sn, and the alloy composition satisfies the following relations (1) and (2): 0.006≤(Ag+Cu+Ni)×Ge<0.023 (1), (Sn/Cu)×(Ni×Ge)/(Ni +Ge)<0.89 (2). Ag, Cu, Ni, Ge, and Sn in the relations (1) and (2) each represent the contents (mass %) in the alloy composition.

A method of applying a braze component to a honeycomb structure may comprise: applying at least a partial vacuum within a chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a vacuum device and a cover, the honeycomb structure disposed within the chamber, the braze component disposed between the honeycomb structure and the cover; pulling the cover towards the braze component in response to applying the partial vacuum; and pulling the braze component into a plurality of hexagonal cells defined by the honeycomb structure in response to pulling the cover towards the braze component.

Provided is a metal particle for adhesive paste. The metal particle may include a core including at least one metal; and a shell on at least one surface of the core and including at least one metal and nanoparticles. The metal particle may be a transient liquid phase particle and the at least one metal of the core may have a higher melting point than a melting point of the at least one metal of the shell. In addition, provided are a method of preparing the metal particle for adhesive paste, a composite bonding structure formed from the metal particle for adhesive paste, and a semiconductor device including the composite bonding structure.

A method includes applying a material coating to a surface of a machine component, wherein the material coating is formed from a combination of a hardfacing material, aluminum-containing particles, and a braze material. The method also includes thermally treating the material coating at a temperature to generate an oxide layer comprising aluminum from the aluminum-containing particles, wherein the oxide layer is configured to reduce oxidation of the hardfacing material, and the braze material is configured to facilitate binding between the material coating and the surface of the machine component.

Provided is a preform solder including a first metal containing Sn and a second metal formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe. Alternatively, provided is a preform solder (1) having a metal structure including a first phase (10) that is a continuous phase and a second phase (20) dispersed in the first phase (10), the first phase (10) contains Sn, the second phase (20) is formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe, and a grain boundary (15) of a metal is present in the first phase (10).