Bonding Mechanism of Direct Copper to Glass Seal in an Evacuated Tube Solar Collector

,; ,; ,; ,; ,; ,

J. Korean Ceram. Soc. > Volume 38(11); 2001 > Article

Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society 2001;38(11): 1000.

태양열 집열기에 사용되는 구리-유리관 접합기구

김철영, 남명식, 곽희열¹

인하대학교 세라믹공학과
¹한국에너지기술연구소

Bonding Mechanism of Direct Copper to Glass Seal in an Evacuated Tube Solar Collector

ABSTRACT

In an evacuated tube solar collector, the stable sealing of the heat pipe to the glass tube is important for the collector to use for a long period of time. The sealing of copper tube to the glass is quite difficult because of the large differences in the physical and chemical properties of the two materials. In this study, therefore, a proper copper oxide layer was induced to improve the chemical bonding of the two materials, and the oxidation state of copper and the interface between copper and glass were examined by XRD, SEM and EDS. Its bonding strength was also measured. Cu$_2$O was formed when the bare copper was heat-treated under 600$^{circ}C$, while CuO oxide layer was formed above that temperature. The bonding state of CuO to the copper was very poor. The borate treatment of the copper, however, extend the stable forming of Cu$_2$O layer to 800$^{circ}C$. Borosilicate glass tube was sealed to a copper tube by Housekeeper method only when the sealing part was covered with Cu$_2$O layer. The bonding strength at the interface was measured 354.4N, its thermal shock resistance was acceptable.

Key words: Sealing, Borosilicate glass, Copper, Oxide layer, Housekeeper