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Dissolution and interfacial reactions of Fe in molten Sn-Cu and Sn-Pb solders

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Abstract

Solder pots used in wave soldering are usually made using different kinds of steel. Dissolution and interfacial reactions of the Fe substrate in molten Sn-Pb and Sn-Cu solders are investigated in this study. FeSn2 phase is formed in the Sn-0.7wt%Cu/Fe couples reacted at 250, 400, and 500 °C, as well as in the Sn-37wt%Pb/Fe couples reacted at 250 and 400 °C. The activation energies of formation are 123 and 121 kJ/mol in the Sn-Cu/Fe and Sn-Pb/Fe couples, respectively. FeSn phase is the reaction product in the Sn-37wt%Pb/Fe couples reacted 500 °C. The dissolution rates of Fe in the Sn-0.7wt%Cu melt are much higher than those in-the Sn-37wt%Pb melt. The FeSn2 phase layer in the Sn-Cu/Fe couple is not as dense as that in the Sn-Pb/Fe couple and accounts for the very different dissolution rates. Detachment of the reaction FeSn2 phase into the solder matrix is observed in the Sn-Cu/Fe couples, and is a potential contaminant source in wave soldering.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the help of Dr. Wojcieh Gierlotka in the phase diagram calculation and the financial support of the National Science Council of Taiwan with Grant No. NSC95-2221-E-007-205.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

    Yu-chih Huang & Sinn-wen Chen

  2. Non-Ferrous Metals Department, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059, Krakow, Poland

    Wojcieh Gierlotka

  3. Chemical Systems Research Division, Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, LungTan, Taiwan

    Chia-hua Chang & Jen-chin Wu

Authors
  1. Yu-chih Huang
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  2. Sinn-wen Chen
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  3. Wojcieh Gierlotka
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  4. Chia-hua Chang
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  5. Jen-chin Wu
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Correspondence to Sinn-wen Chen.

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Huang, Yc., Chen, Sw., Gierlotka, W. et al. Dissolution and interfacial reactions of Fe in molten Sn-Cu and Sn-Pb solders. Journal of Materials Research 22, 2924–2929 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2007.0361

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