Production of a full range of handmade jewelry is obtained using gold brazing alloys at the same karats of materials that must be joined. Generally a brazing alloy facilitates a permanent bonding of two metallic pieces by heating at a temperature higher than T liquidus of brazing alloys, but lower than T solids of assembling materials. Thanks to a capillary action, brazing material flows into the joint cavity. Historically jewelry brazing alloys were obtained through a chemical alloying of Au, Ag and Cu with adding elements such Zn and Cd in various proportions. Low-melting elements such Cd are employed to decrease the melting range and to impart desiderable wetting and flow characteristics. Moreover Cd is very toxic for human organism and can be assumed through inhalation of CdO fumes. In order to substitute Cd for brazing alloys the most applicable elements are Sn, In and Ga (1,2 ). The aim of this work is the characterization of yellow gold brazing alloys containing Indium and Gallium in order to verify if Cadmium substitution with these elements increases or decreases materials performance.

Authors: M. Dabalà, M. Magrini, M. Poliero