DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH

Name : P. Annapurna
Designation : Sr Lecturer
Branch : Electronics & Communication Engg.
Institute : Govt. Polytechnic for Women, Medak.
Semester/Year : I Year
Sub. Name : Electronic Components& Devices
Sub. Code : EC-105
Major Topic : 6.0 PCBs
Duration : 50Mts
Sub. Topic : Soldering Materials(12/15)
Teaching Aids : Animation Clips & Images

EC105.107 1
• Till now we have learnt Double sided PCB
preparation process steps.

• Now let us discuss soldering materials.

EC105.107 2
Objective
After the end of this Class , the student will be
able to learn

• Principles of Soldering.

• Materials used for soldering like

• soldering alloys.
• soldering fluxes.

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• Soldering is a process for the joining of metal parts with
the aid of a molten metal (Solder).

• Melting temperature is maintained below that of the

material joined.

• There by surface of the parts are wetted, with out them

becoming molten.

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 • Solders have been in use since time immemorial.
• solder was used in
• making jewellery.
• join the lead pipes for public baths.
• Today we can put most of the solder applications in to
three major groups
2. Mechanical joining.
3. Sealing.
4. Electrically conductive joining.
The third group is used in Electronics applications.

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Different applications of solders

Fig No 1
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 Electrical conductive
joining

mechanical
Making jewellery
joints

Fig No 2

Different applications of solders

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• Soldering is a process for the joining of metal parts with the
aid of a molten metal (Solder), melting temperature is situated
below that of the material joined there by surface of the parts
are wetted, with out them becoming molten.

• Soft soldering or soldering generally implies that joining

process occurs at temperatures below 4500 C.

• The filler metal (Solder) wets and alloys with the base metals
and gets drawn by capillary action in to the gap between them.

• This process forms a metallurgical bond between the parts

of the joint.

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 - Solder acts by
• Wetting of the base metal surfaces forming the joint

• Flowing between these surfaces which results in a

completely filled space between them.

• Metallurgical bonding to these surfaces when

solidified.

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Steps involved in Soldering operation

• Relative positioning of the surfaces to be joining.

• Wetting of these surfaces with molten solder.

• Allowing the solder to cool down until it has solidified

Base metal

Heat Fig No 3

Solder Flux

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Fig No 4

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Contaminated surface soldering
• A drop of molten solder on contaminated surfaces will
behave like an isolated drop of mercury.
• After solidifying this drop can easily loosen when
subjected to mechanical shocks.
• The quality of the electrical contact in such case will be
poor.
• The current has to pass through more or less insulating
oxide film.

A contaminated surface will prevent wetting

Fig No 5 EC105.107 12
Clean surfaces soldering
• If the surfaces are clean
2. Wetting takes place and solder will flow across the
surface.
3. The solder atoms are now able to come very close to
the atoms of the base metal, hence they are attracted.
4. The solder thus gradually diffuses in to the solid metal
and provides a good adhesion.
5. The direct metallic contact with the atoms of the base
metal ensures a good electrical contact.
Diffusion layer Molten solder

Fig No 6 Base metal

Properly wetted solder joint
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After discussing about principles of solder joints let
us discuss about soldering alloys…………

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Soldering Alloys

• Soldering alloys are special alloys which are used to get

either mechanically strong joint or electric joint with low
contact resistance.

• Solders have low melting points with the liquidus

temperature below the melting point of pure lead
(3270C).

• The bulk of solders even melt below 2500C.

• Solders have less tensile strength.

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Types of alloys

1. Tin – Lead solder (Sn-Pb) 63% Tin and 37% Lead.

2. Tin – Antimony solder (Sn-Sb) 95% Tin and 5%
Antimony.
3. Tin – Lead – Silver solder (Sn – Pb – Ag).
95% Lead and 2% Silver and1% Tin.

In any solder system

• lead (Pb) is mainly used as a dilutant only to lower the
cost.
• The wetting phenomenon is dependent on Tin only.
• The higher the Tin content the better would be the
wetting.

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Tin – Lead solder

• The binary mixture of Tin and Lead constitutes a simple

and classical eutectic system with the eutectic point at
61.9% Tin and eutectic temperature at 1830C.

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• The point C in the graph
is the eutectic point.
• Composition which vary
from the eutectic one
have rather a melting
range than a melting or
solidification point.
• The solder which
corresponds to the point
D has a melting range of
183 – 2730C and Tin
content of 30%.
• If a solder has a melting Metallurgical equilibrium diagram
range it is only fully
molten at highest for tin-lead system
temperature of this range. Graph 1
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• Cooling off must come down to the lowest temperature
of the range for a complete solidification of the alloy.

• If a solder joint is disturbed during solidification it

becomes unreliable.

• A solder with a narrow melting range for the soldering of

electronic components chosen since wide range solders
increases the soldering time.

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Characteristics of tin-lead solder
Physical characteristics 1 63% tin 37% tin 100%
00% 37% 63% lead lead
tin lead

Specific gravity (kg/dm3) 7.3 8.4 9.5 11.4

Latent heat of melting (cal/g) 14 13 10.5 5.5

Specific heat (cal/ o C) 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.03

Final melting point o C

232 183 257 327

Required energy from 20 o C (cal/g)

30 24 21 17
Required energy from 20 o C
(cal/cm3) 219 292 200 191
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Table 1
Other Solder Systems
• Tin – Antimony :
– From the metallurgical equilibrium diagram for the
binary Tin – Antimony alloy system, it can be observed
that only a composition with 5% Sb by weight forms a
single phase solid solution in Tin.
• Tin – Lead – Antimony :
– For the most commonly used “Antimonial ” Tin Lead
solder with a tin content of 30 - 50% , the liquidus
temperature is slightly rise compare to binary system.
– The presence of Sb generally restrict the flow of
solder.
• Tin – Silver :
– The eutectic point is reached with 3.5% Ag, 96.5% Sn
giving an eutectic temperature of 2210C.
Contd. …..
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• Tin – Lead – Silver
Folder joints which must possess some strength at elevated
temperatures, an alloy of 97% Pb, 2% Ag, 1% Sn is used.
Tin is added because of the poor wetting qualities of lead.

• Tin – Zinc
These solders are specifically used for soldering of
Aluminium.
Tin zinc represents a simple eutectic system with the
eutectic point at 8.9% Zn 91.1% Sn resulting in a melting
temperature of 198 0C.

• Low – Melting – Point (Fusible ) Alloys

The most commonly used alloy of this category is the
ternary eutectic composition 50% Sn / 32% Pb/ 18% Cd.
Which melts at a temperature of 1450C.
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• After discussing about soldering alloys,
let us discuss about soldering fluxes……….

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Soldering fluxes

• During the soldering operation, an auxiliary medium is

mostly used to increase the flow properties of molten
solder or to improve the degree of wetting. Such a
medium is called flux.

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Characteristics of flux
• It should provide a liquid cover over the materials and
exclude air up to the soldering temperature.

• It should dissolve any oxide on the metal surface or on

the solder and carry such unwanted elements away.

• It should be readily displays from the metal by the molten

soldering operation.

• Residues should be removable after completion of the

solder.

• It should reduce the surface tension of molten solder and

spreads well.
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Groups of fluxes

Fig No 7
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Corrosive Fluxes
• The corrosive or acid fluxes consists mainly of
inorganic acids and salts.

• They are used to solder “difficult” materials

1. At places where rapid wetting by molten solder is
required.
2. At places where surface conditions are critical.
3. When lead based solders are used.

• They should be only be used on components in

condition where the residues can be completely
removed after soldering.
• The most basic ingredient in this type of fluxes is Zinc
chloride.
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Intermediate fluxes
• They are weaker in nature when compare to inorganic
fluxes.

• They consists of organic acids and their derivatives.

• These fluxes are active at soldering temperature.

• Typical intermediate fluxes are

– Lactic acid.
– Glutamic acid.
– Succinic acid.
– Hydrohalides or Amino acids.
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 Non corrosive fluxes
• A non corrosive flux is required where it is difficult to wash
off flux residues after soldering.

• For
– Electrical components
– Electronic assemblies
– Delicate instruments

• Colophony or natural rosin ( obtained from a particular

type of fine wood ) contains abeitic acid and its isomers
which become mildly active at soldering temperatures,
being weak acid.
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Criteria for selection of a flux

• Flow promoting properties of the flux.

• Solder composition.
• Composition of materials to be soldered.
• Surrounding in which soldering has to take place.
• Soldering technique.
• Soldering temperature.
• Properties of the flux residues.
• Possible health hazards.

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Conclusion

We conclude that

• In order to get good soldering joints wetting of solder is

important.

• lead (Pb) is mainly used as a dilutant only to lower the

cost.

• The wetting phenomenon is dependent on Tin only.

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(Cont.,)

• Solder alloys normally used are

1. Tin – Lead solder (Sn-Pb) 63% Tin and 37% Lead.
2. Tin – Antimony solder (Sn-Sb) 95% Tin and 5%
Antimony.
3. Tin – Lead – Silver solder (Sn – Pb – Ag)
95% Lead and 2% Silver and1% Tin.
• During the soldering operation, an auxiliary medium is
mostly used to increase the flow properties of molten
solder or to improve the degree of wetting. Such a
medium is called flux.

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Summary

we have learnt

• Principles of Soldering.

• Materials used for soldering like

• soldering alloys.

• soldering fluxes.

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Assignment

• Perform two soldering joints of two small circuits, one is

dry soldering joint and another wet joint. Test the
mechanical strength and electrical conductivity.

• Collect complete information regarding different solder

alloys and fluxes.

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Quiz

1. Soldering is a process for the joining of metal parts

with the aid of a …………….

(a) solid metal

(b) molten metal

(c) both (a) and (b)

(d) none of the above

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1. The advantage of adding Tin (Sn) in solder material…
……..

(a) For drying

(b) For better wetting

(c) For cleaning

(d) All the above

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1. The fundamental component of solder is……….

(a) Lead

(b) Copper

(c) Iron

(d) Flux

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• Fluxes are used-----------

• (a) For quick soldering

• (b) To reduce dry soldering

• (c) Improves the degree of wetting

• (d) All the above

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Frequently asked questions

1. List different solder alloys in use.

3. What are the uses of fluxes.

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