Combustion joining of refractory materials

This paper overviews heterogeneous exothermic reactive systems as they apply to the joining of materials. Techniques that are investigated fall under two general schemes: so-called Volume Combustion Synthesis (VCS) and Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS). Within the VCS scheme, applications that are considered include Reactive Joining (RJ), Reactive Resistance Welding (RRW), and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). Under the SHS scheme, Combustion Foil Joining (CFJ) and Conventional SHS (CCJ) are discussed. Analysis of the relevant works show significant potential, particularly for the RJ, RRW, and CFJ approaches, in the joining of a variety of materials which are difficult, or impossible, to bond using conventional techniques. More specifically, it is shown that these methods can be successfully applied to the joining of: (i) dissimilar materials such as ceramics and metals and (ii) refractory materials, such as graphite, carbon-carbon composites, W, Ta, Nb, etc.