Lotlegierung

The invention, which permits active solder braze technology to be used in a more versatile manner, relates to a solder braze alloy and to a method for joining workpieces by soldering by means of a solder braze alloy. The novel alloy is characterized in that it comprises 1 - 10 % by weight of an element or a mixture of elements of subgroup IVa and/or Va of the Periodic Table of the Elements and 0.1 - 20 wt. % of an element or a mixture of elements of the group of the rare earths and the remainder consists of zinc, lead, tin, bismuth or indium or a mixture predominantly of two or more of the elements zinc, lead, tin, bismuth and indium and optionally of the elements silver, copper, gallium, antimony, nickel, manganese, chromium, cobalt possibly of customary impurities. The alloy according to the invention can be processed as a solder even in oxygen-containing atmospheres, for example in air, has a relatively low processing temperature and exhibits good wetting even of inherently poorly wettable surfaces such as, for example, ceramic surfaces. In a development of the invention the solder braze alloy can be processed without a flux.