• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.157-166
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• 1998

Recently as environmental pollution caused by Pb has posed a serious threat to the global environment, the trend to regulate the usage of Pb in electronic industry is one the rise. Currently, the solder alloy with high Pb content, Sn-37%Pb, is utilized in the electronic assembly therefore, the objective of this study is to develop an alternative solder alloy for the existing Sn-37%Pb solder alloy. First thing, this work choosed Sn-5%Pb-1.5%Ag, Sn-5%Pb-1.5%Ag-x%Bi(x=1~5%) for candidate solder alloys, and examined their properties such as melting range, wettability, microhardness, tensile property, oxidation behavior and microstructure. Wettability was on the same level of Sn-37%Pb. Dissolution of Pb ion in Sn-5%Pb solder was 0.46ppm. This solder alloy revealed cellular dendrite microstructure $\beta$-Sn matrix, Pb-rich phase, Ag/Sn, and Cu/Sn Intermetallic compounds. The range of solidification temperature was within 3$0^{\circ}C$. Also these alloy displayed higher tensile strength and lower elongation than Sn-37%Pb. The resistance of oxidation in Sn-5%Pb-1.5%Ag solder alloy was superior to that of Sn-37%Pb solder alloy. But that of Sn-5%Pb-1.5%Ag-5%Bi solder alloy was equal to that of Sn-37%Pb solder alloy.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.926-931
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• 1999

The microstructure, wettability, shear strength and aging effect of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu and Alloy42 lead-frame solder joints were measured for comparison. In the case of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu, $Ag_3Sn and Cu_6Sn_5$ phases in the matrix Sn and $1~2\mu\textrm{m}$ thick $Cu_6Sn_5$ phase at the interface of solder/lead-frame were formed. In the case of Sn-3.5Agl Alloy42, only AgJSn phase of low density in the matrix Sn and $0.5~1.5\mu\textrm{m}$ thick $FeSn_2$, phase at the interface of solder/leadframe were formed. Comparing to Cu, Alloy42 showed wider area of spread and smaller contact angle, thus better wet­tability. But shear strength and ductility of Alloy 42 solder joints were only 33% and 75% of those of Cu, respectively After aging at $180^{\circ}C$ for 1 week, $\xi-Cu_3Sn$ layer on $\eta-Cu_6Sn_5$ layer was formed on Cu lead-frame, while coarsened cir­cular $Ag_3Sn$ phase in the matrix and thickened $FeSn_2$, at the interface were formed on Alloy42 lead- frame.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.640-644
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• 2000

The microstructure, wettability, shear strength and aging effect of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu and Alloy42 lead-frame solder joints were measured for comparison. In the case of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu, Ag$_3$Sn and Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ phases in the matrix Sn and 1∼2$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ Phase at the interface of solder/lead-frame were formed. In the case of Sn-3.5AAg/A11oy42, only Ag$_3$Sn Phase of low density in the matrix Sn and 0.5∼1.5$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick FeSn$_2$phase at the interface of solder/lead-frame were formed. Comparing to Cu, Alloy42 shear strength of Alloy 42 solder joints was smaller than that of Cu and all declined after aging. After aging at 180$^{\circ}C$ for 1 week, η-Cu$\sub$6/Sn$\sub$5/ layer was formed on Cu lead-frame, while AgSn$_3$ phase in the matrix and thickened FeSn$_2$at the interface were formed on Alloy42 lead-frame.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.92-97
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• 2006

Contact material is widely used as electrical parts. Ag-Cd alloy has a good wear resistance and stable contact resistance. But the disadvantages of Ag-Cd alloy are coarse Cd oxides and harmful metal, Cd. To solve the disadvantages of that, Ag-Sn alloy that has stable and fine Sn oxide at high temperature has been developed. In order to optimize Sn amount that affects the formation of the oxide layer on the surface, we worked for the microstructures and properties of Ag-Sn material fabricated by rapid solidification process. The experimental procedure were melting using high frequency induction, melt spinning, and internal oxidation. We have shown that the optimized Sn amount for high hardness is 7.09 wt%Sn. Surface oxide layer forms when Sn amount is over 9.45 wt%. The size of Sn oxide is 20 nm.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.549-554
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• 2003

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the solder properties by the change of P mass percentage. Tension test, wetting balance test, spread test, and analysis of intermetallic compound after isothermal aging of Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.005P, Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.01P, Sn-2.5Ag-0.7Cu-0.02P, Sn-0.7Cu-0.005P were performed. Adding P in the solder alloys resulted in improvement of tensile strength, reduction of intermetallic compound growth, reduction of oxidization in fusible solders under wave soldering. After comparing solder alloy containing P with tin-lead eutectic solder alloy, P contained solders alloys showed much better solder properties than eutectic solder alloy. Furthermore, this solder alloy presented remarkable properties than any other lead-free solder alloy.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.184-189
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• 2008

Ag-Cd alloy has been widely used as an electrical contact material, since Ag-Cd alloy has a good wear resistance and stable contact resistance. But nowadays Ag-Cd alloy is not considered as electrical contact material any more due to detrimental effect on environments. Currently, active researches are being performed on ($Ag-SnO_2$ and $Ag-SnO_{2}-In_{2}O_{3}$) as an alternative solution which can fix the remaining environmental problems. However, $In_{2}O_{3}$ is relatively expensive and Ag-Sn alloy has low wear resistance. Our recent research results show that Ag-X%Zn-Y%Sn has similar physical and chemical properties. In the present study, so we tried to change and to optimize the Zn oxide content to over 6 wt% and Sn oxide content with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 wt%. Results obtained from the experiments on the Ag-X%ZnO-Y%$SnO_2$ are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.1011-1019
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• 1998

This work designed Sn-5%Pb-1.5%Ag-x%In solder alloy to develop the solder alloy with low Pb content. This solder alloy doesn't cause environmental pollution. and this study reviewed the probability of replacement of Sn-37%Pb solder as evaluation of melting range, wettability. microstructure, microhardne'ss, tensile strength, drossability of this new solder alloys. The level of international regulation in dissolution amount of Pb ion was 3ppm. But dissolution amount of Pb ion in Sn-5%Pb solder alloy confirmed not to threat the global environmental is 0.46ppm. The melting range of this solder alloy was $183-192^{\circ}C$. Also the range of solidification was very narrow within $5^{\circ}C$. The wettability was similar to Sn-37%Pb solder, and the effect of amount of In addition of wettability couldn't be founded. The probability of replacement in the melting range and wettability is very high. And microhardness of this solder alloy was 1.5 times of conventional type solder. Tensile strength of new solder alloys was a little high than that of conventional type solder. With increasing amount of In% addition, tensile strength was increased, but elongation was decreased. The solder alloy of l%In addition revealed AgSn and Pb on dendrite microstructure boundary, and $Ag_3Sn$, $Ag_3In$ and Pb were revealed on it at the solder alloy of 3% In addition. The drossability was superior to Sn-37%Pb solder alloy and the solder alloys of 2% In addition was not generated for 3hrs.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.561-565
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• 2007

Because of a good wear resistance and a stable contact resistance, Ag-CdO is widely used as electrical contact material. But, the Cd-oxide mainly exists as a coarse particle and adversely affected to environment. As a reason, $Ag-SnO_2$ alloy has been developed. The Sn-oxide maintains stable and fine particle even at high temperature. In order to investigate the effect of Misch metal (Mm) additional that affects the formation of the oxide and the formation of fine matrix Ag, we studied the microstructures and properties of Ag-Sn-In(-Mm) material fabricated by rapid solidification process. The experimental procedure were melting using high frequency induction, melt spinning, and internal oxidation. The Mm addition makes Ag matrix more fine than no Mm addition. The reason is that the addition of Misch metal decreased a latent heat of fusion of alloy, as a result the rapid solidification effect of alloy is increased. The maximum hardness shows at 0.3 wt%Mm. after that the hardness is decreased until 0.4 wt% Mm, but still larger than no Mm addition alloy. At 0.5 wt% Mm alloy, the precipitation of Misch metal causes a decrease of hardness than no Mm addition alloy.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.42-47
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• 2000

The object of this study is to estimate Sn-Ag-Bi-Ga solder alloy as a substitute for Sn-37Pb alloy. For Sn-Ag-Bi-Ga alloys, Ag, Bi and Ga contents are varied. (Ag : 1~5%, Ga : 3%, Bi : 3~6%) Comparing to Sn-37Pb alloy Sn-Ag-Bi-Ga alloys have wider melting temperature range up to max. $18.7^{\circ}C$. With increasing Ag, Bi contents, the wettability of the alloys increased up to max. 6.6 mN. The vickers hardness of the alloys was max. 46.4 Hv. The ultimate tensile stress of the alloys was max. 60.3 MPa and the elongation was max. 1.2%. The joint strength between circuit board and solder was max. 55.5 N and the joint strength between connector and solder was max. 176.1 N. There were no cracks in this alloys after thermal shock test.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.345-350
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• 2014

The surface oxidation mechanism of lead-free solder alloys has been investigated with multiple reflow using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the solder surface of Sn-Ag-Cu-In solder alloy is surrounded by a thin $InO_x$ layer after reflow process; this coating protects the metallic surface from thermal oxidation. Based on this result, we have performed a wetting balance test at various temperatures. The Sn-Ag-Cu-In solder alloy shows characteristics of both thermal oxidation and wetting balance better than those of Sn-Ag-Cu solder alloy. Therefore, Sn-Ag-Cu-In solder alloy is a good candidate to solve the two problems of easy oxidation and low wettability, which are the most critical problems of Pb-free solders.