A Ni-P plated layer of 20 μm thickness containing 11 wt.% P was formed on the surface of a stainless steel (SUS304) plate by electroplating. The microstructure and joint strength of the brazed joint with the electroplated Ni-11P layer were investigated. The results indicated that the filler metal was homogeneously distributed between the SUS304 plates and no voids or flaws formed in the brazed filler zone. Fe-Ni-Cr solid solutions were formed at the brazed interface. Moreover, P was mainly concentrated in such brazed filler zone to form P-containing phases. The average shear strength of the brazed joints was determined to be 47.3 MPa. The results demonstrated that the brazing of SUS304 plates using the electroplated Ni-11P layer as the filler metal was successfully realized.

In this study, an amorphous Ni-13.4Cr-11.6P (mass%) alloy coating with a thickness of 30 μm was deposited on the surface of SUS304 stainless steel as a brazing filler metal to conduct brazing. The differential thermal analysis measurements indicate that the electrodeposited Ni-13.4Cr-11.6P alloy has a melting point of approximately 892 °C, which is almost consistent with that of the commercial BNi-7 filler metal. The microstructure, shear strength, and fracture mode of the brazed joint were investigated using an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer, a scanning electron microscope, an optical microscope, and a universal testing machine. The results showed that the brazed filler metal is filled between the SUS304 stainless steel plates without any flaws in the brazed seam. The P-containing phases, i.e., the Cr-P rich phase and the (Ni,Fe)₃P phase, were formed in the brazed seam. The shear strength of the brazed joint obtained in this study is 59.0 MPa. The fracture occurs in the brazed filler zone, where the brittle P-containing phases are present. Galvanic current measurement results showed that the brazed Ni-13.4Cr-11.6P alloy coating has a better corrosion resistance than that of the brazed Ni-11P alloy coating, which can be attributed to the formation of a large amount of Ni-Fe solid solution and Cr-P rich phase in the top layer of the brazed Ni-13.4Cr-11.6P alloy coating.