Fabrication of high-quality TA1/ZrO2 joints by Zr/Ni composite filler: Interfacial microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance

: Reliable joining of TA1 alloy to ZrO 2 ceramic was achieved using a Zr/Ni composite filler. The effects of brazing temperature on the interfacial microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of the TA1/ZrO 2 joints were systematically investigated. The brazed seam is mainly composed of Ti(s,s), (Ti, Zr) 2 Ni and Ti-O phases. With increasing brazing temperature, the (Ti, Zr) 2 Ni phase gradually evolves into a continuous layered structure, while both the Ti(s,s) layer and the Ti-O layer exhibit a trend of first thinning and then thickening. The growth of the Ti(s,s) and Ti-O reaction layers is governed by atomic diffusion, with growth activation energies of 128.92 kJ/mol and 152.92 kJ/mol, respectively. The maximum shear strength of the joint achieved at 1020 °C for 10 min is 120 MPa, and the fracture path shifts from the Ti(s,s) layer to the ZrO 2 ceramic substrate. The corrosion resistance of the TA1/ZrO 2 joint is slightly inferior to that of the TA1 base metal in neutral artificial saliva, and it is reduced by an order of magnitude under acidic conditions. The findings provide a new technical approach for the fabrication of metal-ceramic prostheses.