A lead-free solder composition includes tin, titanium and zinc. Based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight of tin, titanium and zinc, tin is present in an amount ranging from 20 to 40 parts by weight, and titanium is present in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 0.15 parts by weight.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a composite rod from a braze material and a sheet of material comprising cermet. The method comprises scoring a surface of the sheet to produce at least one line of localised stress and subsequently causing the sheet to break along the line or localised stress, thereby to produce a plurality of cermet chunks. The cermet chunks can be combined with the braze material to produce the composite rod. In a particular embodiment, the sheet of material may be a used cermet cutting tip.

A method of interconnecting a conductor and a hermetic feedthrough of an implantable medical device includes welding a lead to a pad on a feedthrough. The feedthrough includes a ceramic insulator and a via hermetically bonded to the insulator. The via includes platinum. The pad is bonded to the insulator and electrically connected to the via, includes platinum, and has a thickness of at least 50 m. The lead includes at least one of niobium, platinum, titanium, tantalum, palladium, gold, nickel, tungsten, and oxides and alloys thereof

In various embodiments, metallic wires are fabricated by combining one or more powders of substantially spherical metal particles with one or more powders of non-spherical particles within one or more optional metallic tubes. The metal elements within the powders (and the one or more tubes, if present) collectively define a high entropy alloy of five or more metallic elements or a multi-principal element alloy of four or more metallic elements.

In various embodiments, additive manufacturing is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional metallic parts using metallic alloy wire as a feedstock material.

In various embodiments, additive manufacturing is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional metallic parts using metallic alloy wire as a feedstock material.

Disclosed herein is a solder composition comprising a metal or a metal alloy; and an electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition; where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition is dispersed homogeneously in the metal; and where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition has a higher glass transition temperature or a melting point than the flow temperature of the metal or metal alloy. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising mixing an electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition with a metal or a metal alloy to form the solder composition; where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition is dispersed homogeneously in the metal; and where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition has a higher glass transition temperature or a melting point than the flow temperature of the metal or metal alloy.

Disclosed herein is a solder composition comprising a metal or a metal alloy; and an electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition; where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition is dispersed homogeneously in the metal; and where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition has a higher glass transition temperature or a melting point than the flow temperature of the metal or metal alloy. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising mixing an electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition with a metal or a metal alloy to form the solder composition; where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition is dispersed homogeneously in the metal; and where the electrically conductive high temperature polymeric composition has a higher glass transition temperature or a melting point than the flow temperature of the metal or metal alloy.

In some examples, the disclosure describes a technique that includes covering a joint surface of a first part including a titanium aluminum (TiAl) alloy with a braze material including aluminum, where covering the joint surface includes at least one of electroplating the braze material on the joint surface, hot dipping the braze material on the joint surface, or positioning a foil of the braze material adjacent to the joint surface, positioning a second part including a titanium alloy in contact with the first part to define a joint region, where the joint region includes the braze material interposed between the second part and the joint surface of the first part, and heating the joint region to at least partially melt the braze material to form a braze joint connecting the first part to the second part.

A shape memory alloy structure comprises at least one tubular member formed of shape memory material, each tubular member including a plurality of panels having side edges, wherein each tubular member is moveable between a radially contracted position and a radially extended position, and wherein the coupled side edges of adjacent panels of each tubular member form hinges for moving the structure between the contracted position and the extended position. Multiple layer tubular structures, methods for forming and fixtures for collapsing same are also disclosed.