Effect of adding Ni nanoparticles on the melting characteristics, mechanical properties and intermetallic compound growth of Sn58Bi solder
Soldering & Surface Mount Technology
ISSN: 0954-0911
Article publication date: 20 November 2024
Issue publication date: 2 January 2025
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the improvement of Sn58Bi solder properties by Ni nanoparticle to provide theoretical support in the field of electronic packaging.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) were doped into Sn58Bi solder as a reinforcing agent to prepare a composite solder. The wettability of composite solder, melting characteristics of solder alloy, microstructure of joints, mechanical properties and intermetallics growth at the interface were investigated.
Findings
Test results show that Ni had little substantial effect on the solders alloy melting temperature yet decreased the alloy undercooling. Notably, Ni enhanced solders wettability on Cu substrates. The spreading area increased by 14% at 0.6 wt.% Ni. The Ni refined the microstructure of Sn58Bi solder joints and inhibited the coarsening of the Bi-rich phase in the solder. At the same time, it also led to the production of free intermetallic compounds, increasing growth of the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer. However, upon surpassing 0.6 wt.% Ni, (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 accumulated and formed irregular clumps in the matrix. The grain size of the IMC layer gradually decreased as Ni was added. In shear tests, the fracture of joints occurred mainly inside the solder matrix. Sn58Bi-0.6Ni joints displayed a 40% rise in shear strength and a 25% rise in Vickers hardness. In addition, the appearance of dimples at the fracture indicated the improved flexibility of joints.
Originality/value
In this paper, Ni nanoparticle with different contents were added to Sn58Bi solder to prepare a composite solder, and the properties of the composite solder were investigated from different perspectives.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors declare that there are no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Declaration of competing interest: This work was supported by the High-Level Talent Research Initiation Project of the Xiamen University of Technology (YKJ22054R), Fujian Provincial “Min Jiang Scholar” Distinguished Professor Talent Plan Project and The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Brazing Filler Metals and Technology (Zhengzhou Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering) (SKLABFMT-2023-02).
Citation
Zhang, J., Zhang, L., Huang, X., Wu, C., Deng, K. and Long, W.-M. (2025), "Effect of adding Ni nanoparticles on the melting characteristics, mechanical properties and intermetallic compound growth of Sn58Bi solder", Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 60-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/SSMT-09-2024-0053
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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