Joining method and apparatus

Abstract

A joining method, which can perform high quality joining at a practical cost, without applying a high temperature or a great compressive load, and without introducing a joining inhibitor, such as a metal oxide, between members to be joined, is provided. This joining method has a joining step of bonding together a plurality of members W1, W2, which are to be joined, metallurgically in a solid phase state, and comprises a contact step of bringing a liquid organic acid L into contact with surfaces to be joined of the members W1, W2 to be joined. By this measure, a non-metallic substance, such as an oxide, covering the surfaces to be joined of the members W1, W2 to be joined is reduced, and thereby converted into a water-soluble complex for removal, whereby metals as materials are exposed at the surfaces to be joined of the members W1, W2 to be joined. Such surfaces to be joined are contacted with each other, whereby the members W1, W2 to be joined can be joined together at a low contact surface pressure and a low temperature.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.