Reinforced solder, brazing and welding compositions and methods for preparation thereof

A process for preparing a composite solder, brazing or welding material having improved creep strength, modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, wear resistance, freezing range, usable service temperature, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, which comprises providing a solder, brazing or welding metal or alloy, melting said metal or alloy, cooling said metal or alloy to a semi-solid state, subjecting said metal or alloy to vigorous shearing while in said semi-solid state, adding a reinforcing material to said metal or alloy during at least one of said cooling and shearing steps in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 60% by volume of the total volume, said reinforcing material being and remaining in particulate or fibrous form as a disperse phase in uniform admixture throughout said metal or alloy and comprising at least one of graphite, silicon carbide, a metal oxide, an elemental metal, and a metal alloy, and solidifying the resulting composite material.

A process for preparing a welding electrode having improved creep strength, modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, wear resistance, freezing range, usable service temperature, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, which comprises providing a particulate welding metal or alloy, mixing with said metal or alloy a reinforcing material in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 60% by volume of the total volume to form a uniform admixture, said reinforcing material being in particulate or fibrous form and comprising at least one of graphite, silicon carbide, a metal oxide, an elemental metal, and a metal alloy, compacting the uniform admixture into the form of an electrode, and heating to a temperature sufficient to cause sintering of said welding metal or alloy particles but below the melting point of said reinforcing material.