Symposium CD
Joining Inorganic Materials at Different Length Scales

Advances in methods for joining materials at macro-, micro- or nano-scale, to provide adequate mechanical coupling, environmental protection or electrical connections to devices and engineering systems are unavoidable needs for a myriad of applications especially those that have to withstand extreme stresses, temperature and chemical environments or to fulfil the needs of the continuing trends to miniaturisation. In order to develop integration methods for emerging materials into advanced components and produce long-term reliable devices, the behavior of material surfaces and interfaces needs to be well understood as their properties ultimately control the reliability of material joints and systems. This symposium, which follows the ones held on similar subjects at previous CIMTEC Conferences, will discuss fundamental and practical issues of inorganic materials joining, across length scales and from both the experimental and theoretical viewpoints concerning: physical-chemistry of surfaces and interfaces; wetting and interfacial reactions; diffusion and compound formation; adhesion; joining techniques of soldering, brazing, solid state and transient liquid phase diffusion bonding and microwave/laser/electron beam welding; joint characterisation and testing; lifetime and reliability predictions of joints, and their in-service performance. Developing techniques of nano-joining processes (such as solid-state nano-bonding, femtosecond laser irradiation joining, in-situ or focused e-beam processing, ultrasonic nano-welding …), their understanding across research disciplines and length scales are challenging steps for faster, more reliable and cheaper routes for nanomaterials integration in micro- and macro-scale devices and systems. Contributions on every aspect of materials joining, from theory of interfaces to practical issues of joining techniques are welcome. Specific matter on which the Authors are encouraged to concentrate include: i-Modelling of materials joints and processes at different length scales (from atomic scale modelling of interfaces to engineering scale simulations); ii-Experimental and theoretical studies on thermodynamics, diffusion kinetics, wetting and adhesion; iii-Joining of metals, ceramics, glasses, composites to each other or to dissimilar materials; iv-Use of nanoeffects in joining methods and the development of nanostructured joining materials; v-Mechanisms and materials science of nano-joining; vi-Joining of nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes and graphene and their integration into micro- and macro-scale devices and systems vii-Application engineering from micro- to macro-scale.