Technical Braze Articles

Customer Guide to Brazing Filler Metal Refining and Recovery

May 15, 2020

With demand for precious metals continuing to outpace supply, manufacturers using them must find ways to achieve maximum value from their spend. Today, recovering precious metals via recycling and refining is a critical part of an OEM’s materials management strategy. The savvy manufacturer cannot afford NOT to recycle.

This article covers the basics of precious metal scrap refining and recovery: What it is, why it is important, what metals can be recovered, and how this is done. We also discuss the hidden customer traps lurking in the process. Finally we present P&I’s secure scrap recovery solution.

Differential Thermal Analysis

October 18, 2018

DTA is used to measure the melting profile of metals based on the principle that at any pre-set rate of heating, the temperature of the metal - while melting - stays constant.  DTA records the temperature difference (ΔT) between the test sample that undergoes melting and the reference sample that remains solid at all temperatures (T) during the test. A plot of ΔT vs. T is generated showing the onset point where the test metal starts to melt (solidus) as well as the peak point where the test metal becomes completely molten (liquidus).

Eutectic Alloys

September 23, 2016

Eutectic brazing alloys are a distinct group of alloys that combine the bonding characteristics of the component metals with the superior flow properties of pure metals. Eutectic alloys melt and solidify at the same temperature. This instantaneous phase change from solid to liquid makes eutectic alloys free-flowing and ideal for a wide range of electrical, electronic and plumbing manufacturing applications.

Precious Metal Medical Wire

August 27, 2015

Medical-grade wire made from platinum and other precious metals helps to make diagnostic and surgical procedures simpler, safer and more effective. From catheter guide wires to pins in a knee joint to your child’s braces, the applications of these metals in wire form are limitless.

Precious Metals in Electronic Devices

July 09, 2015

Gold and silver are at your fingertips! If you could look closely inside your mobile phone or tablet device, you’d find small amounts  of gold, silver, platinum and palladium — the four precious metals that are the “nuts and bolts” of modern electronics.

These precious metals share one common property that separates them from most other metals; they are excellent conductors of electricity. Other attributes favor them over copper, such as gold’s corrosion resistance, silver’s superior conductivity or platinum’s hardness. Let’s look at the precious metals and their applications in electronics.

Prince & Izant Gold Alloys in Aerospace Applications

April 27, 2015

Did you know that the path to the stars is paved with…gold? It’s true. Gold is an essential material in spacecraft design, found in every NASA vessel ever launched, and with good reason. As a protector, reflector, collector and connector, gold is unrivaled. Without gold, the moon would remain out of reach. Let’s examine this versatile metal, one of mankind’s ancient discoveries and yet so vital to modern aerospace technology.

The Effective & Reliable Nature of Trimetals

April 27, 2015

Combining the tensile properties of copper with the versatility of silver alloys, trimetal alloys are an effective and reliable choice for carbide-to-steel brazing, such as in toolmaking.  This article explains the value of trimetals as a viable brazing option. 

An Analysis of Platinum & Palladium in Biomedical Devices

April 27, 2015

You may be familiar with platinum or palladium, its sister metal, from admiring a piece of jewelry. But did you know that these two rare elements are present in products that we use every day —maybe even in your own body? You’ll find platinum and palladium at the crossroads of metallurgy and technology—including biomedicine. Historically, platinum is more widespread commercially, but palladium is surging. But why are they so important?