Method of jointing titanium aluminide structures

Abstract

A method of diffusion brazing two or more titanium alloy metal parts, such as sheets, thick sections or a honeycomb core to one or two face sheets, to form a unitary panel. A low melting copper-nickel layer is interposed between the faying surfaces of two parts to be bonded. The layer may be a foil placed between the surfaces or may be a layer plated onto one or both surfaces. The assembly is heated to at least the eutectic melting temperature of the base metal-interlayer eutectic point for a time sufficient to permit effective wetting and diffusion bonding of the surfaces. The assembly is held at the elevated temperature a sufficient additional time so as to allow isothermal solidification to occur. The assembly is then cooled, resulting in a unitary structure. This method is particularly effective with titanium aluminides face sheets and a titanium aluminide or other titanium base honeycomb core and with an interlayer consisting essentially of nickel and copper.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.