Patent ID: 7000823

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an article of manufacture for use in a fluxless brazing process, the method comprising: (a) providing a substrate containing aluminum; (b) applying to the substrate a bonding layer which comprises ions of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, lead, bismuth, nickel, antimony and thallium; and (c) electroplating a braze-promoting layer onto said bonding layer, said braze-promoting layer comprising one or more metals selected from nickel and cobalt; wherein the electroplating is carried out in an aqueous bath having a pH of from about 2 to 7 and including, in solution, ions of said one or more metals, citrate ion and ammonium ion, wherein the mole ratio of metal ions: citrate ion:ammonium ion in solution is about 1:0.5 to 1.5:1 to 6; wherein application of the bonding layer is preceded by or concurrent with a brush cleaning of the substrate such that the target surface defines a plurality of reentrant edges; and wherein the brush cleaning is effected through nylon or stainless steel brushes.