Brazing Titanium to Ceramic: Challenges and Solutions

Brazing dissimilar materials like titanium and ceramic (typically alumina) is one of the most difficult joining challenges in advanced manufacturing. Differences in thermal expansion, bonding chemistry, and surface preparation make reliable hermetic joining highly specialized.

Why Join Titanium to Ceramic?

Titanium offers excellent corrosion resistance, strength-to-weight ratio, and biocompatibility. Alumina ceramic provides insulation, thermal stability, and leak-tight properties. Together, they are ideal for implantable devices, aerospace sensors, and high-performance power modules.

Challenges in Brazing

• CTE Mismatch: Titanium expands more than alumina under heat, risking joint stress and cracking
• Surface Wetting: Titanium is reactive and requires controlled environments to avoid oxide formation
• Void Control: Improper alloy flow or wetting causes internal gaps and hermetic failures

Our Approach at AHS

Advanced Hermetic Solutions uses active brazing alloys (ABA) containing titanium or zirconium that chemically bond to ceramics while also forming strong diffusion joints with titanium. Our vacuum brazing process ensures controlled heat-up/cool-down ramps and oxygen-free bonding.

Applications

• High-temperature sensor housings
• Implantable medical feedthroughs
• Aerospace electrical isolators

Conclusion

Titanium-to-ceramic brazing pushes the limits of materials engineering. With our precision thermal processing and custom fixturing, AHS delivers high-yield, leak-tight assemblies for the most demanding applications.