Corrosion and Leaching Behaviours of Sn-0.7Cu-0.05Ni Lead-Free Solder in 3.5 wt.% NaCl Solution

Abstract

The corrosion and leaching behaviour of a new ternary Sn-0.7Cu-0.05Ni alloy in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution is reported herein. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements show that Sn-0.7Cu-0.05Ni has the highest corrosion rate. Results of the 30-day Sn leaching measurement show that Sn-Cu-Ni joint has slight decrease attributed to the formation of thin passivation film after 15 days. The leaching amounts of Sn are observed to be higher in solder joint than in solder alloy due to the galvanic corrosion happening on the surface. EDS and XRD results of the corroded surface confirm that the corroded product is made up of oxides of tin.