Study on lap joining and characterization of tin (Sn) powder on stainless steel SS304 using microwave heating

Abstract

Metal bonding via joints of low melting point materials such as zinc and tin has been technically challenging. This paper presents a unique technique for bonding small dimensions and the low melting point of materials through the microwave hybrid heating (MHH) process. Joint of stainless steel SS304 was applied to the joint with the tin (Sn) powder with the application of microwave radiation by using domestic microwave oven at 2.45 GHz of constant frequency, 200–360 W of microwave power, 120–180 s of exposure time, and 10–20 % of the epoxy rate. A developed heat chamber was used as a susceptor and insulator in the microwave hybrid heating (MHH) process. The tin powder and parent metals were strongly bonded as lap position by the microwave hybrid heating (MHH) process at 360 W of microwave power, 180 s of constant exposure time, and 20 % of the constant epoxy rate. Characterization of the joint was evaluated through microhardness and x‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis techniques. It was found that the intermetallic compounds (phase) of nickel tin (NiSn), iron tin (Fe1.84Sn), sulfur tin (SSn), chromium tin (Cr2Sn3), chromium tin (CrSn2), and tin phosphorus (SnP) at the joint surface with highest microhardness obtained at 498.4 HV 0.05 at 360 W of microwave power.