Microstructural discovery of Al addition on Sn-0.5Cu-based Pb-free solder design

Abstract

It is important to develop Pb-free solder alloys suitable for automotive use instead of traditional Sn-Pb solder due to environmental regulations (e.g., Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)). Al addition has been spotlighted to enhance solder properties. In this study, we investigated the microstructural change of Sn-0.5Cu wt.% based Pb-free solder alloys with Al addition (0.01-0.05 wt.%). The small amount of Al addition caused a remarkable microstructural change. The Al was favored to form Cu-Al intermetallic compounds inside the solder matrix. We identified the Cu-Al intermetallic compound as Cu33Al17, which has a rhombohedral structure, using EPMA and TEM analyses. This resulted in refined Cu6Sn5 networks in the Sn-0.5Cu based solder alloy. In addition, we conducted thermal analysis to confirm its stability at a high temperature of approximately 230 degrees C, which is the necessary temperature range for automotive applications. The solidification results were substantiated thermodynamically using the Scheil solidification model. We can provide criteria for the minimum aluminum content to modify the microstructure of Pb-free solder alloys.