A Model of the Solder Flux Reaction; Reactions at the Metal/ Metal Oxide/Electrolyte Solution Interface

A good solder flux must simultaneously perform a number of important functions. It must promote thermal transfer to the area of the solder joint, enhance wetting of the solder on the base metal, and prevent oxidation of the metal surfaces at soldering temperatures. However, its primary task is to remove the tarnish layer from the metal joint that is about to be soldered. Despite the fact that the process of soldering electronic devices is a part of a multi‐billion dollar industry, the actual chemical reactions that occur during this cleaning process are not well documented. In the case of organic acid or water‐soluble fluxes, the flux reactions can be modelled by considering the interactions at the metal/metal oxide/electrolyte solution interface. Although such modelling systems have not frequently been applied to the behaviour of solder and fluxes, they are common for a number of other closely related chemical systems which are of practical interest, e.g., passivation layers on metals, electrochemical cells and metal oxide semiconductors. There are two types of reactions that can occur at the oxide/solution interface: acid‐base reactions and oxidation‐reduction reactions. The factors which affect the reaction rates and mechanisms are such variables as the structure of the metal oxide, temperature, pH, concentration of the electrolyte, and the chemical nature of the solute and solvent. By combining information about flux behaviour with available models of surface reactions, it should be possible to develop the theory of the flux reactions and to gain a better understanding of the factors which control the process.