Indium Corporation, a global leader for indium metal and associated technologies, has released the next monthly instalment in its ‘Elements of Indium’ series; this time focusing on cold welding. Read it below.
The term “welding” often conjures up an image of an arc welder’s helmet and sparks dancing across the metal’s surface. Although heat is often associated with welding, it is not always necessary. Cold welding is the process of fusing two metals together without using heat.
Cold welding is done by applying enough pressure to break the oxide surface which leads to adhesion. This means an instant attachment can be created in just fractions of a second with bare minimum pressure and will last indefinitely. Because of its unique properties, indium can cold weld to itself effortlessly.
Cold welding indium to indium produces a clean, efficient bond that doesn’t change the properties of either piece of metal. When using techniques such as ultrasonic and laser welding, the properties can sometimes change. Higher purity, oxide-free indium wires can create a strong bond that will remain solid up to 157°C. An indium, cold-welded bond can also endure cryogenic temperatures while maintaining excellent thermal and electrical properties.
