Comparison study of SAC405 and SAC405+0.1%Al lead free solders

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the addition of a small amount of Al (0.1 percent) on the properties of lead‐free solder type Sn‐4Ag‐0.5Cu (SAC 405).

The soldering properties of wettability and spreadability on a Cu substrate were studied, and the effect of Al on the growth of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) was observed. The shear strength of soldered joints was assessed. For comparison, soldering and strength tests were carried out on SAC 405 and SAC 405+ Al solders. Soldering was performed with an activated flux type ZnCl₂‐NH₄Cl, with non‐activated flux (rosin), and without flux in the air.

Experimental results show that Al addition slightly reduces the wettability and spreadability of SAC 405 solder. Also, the shear strength is moderately reduced, dropping by 8 MPa on average. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed that the melting point of SAC 405+0.1%Al solder was increased to 221°C.

The positive effect of a small Al addition is due to the fact that it hinders the growth of IMCs formed on the contact surface with Cu substrate. The width of the transition zone of IMC was reduced by approximately 2 to 3 μm, depending on the soldering temperature.