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Solder Properties
Values presented in the table below are for some of the most commonly used solders. With the push for lead-free (Pb-free) versions that conform the the RoHS1 initiative that will be in effect in Europe in the summer of 2006, new alloys have been developed that use little or no lead at all. For those application, this resource compiled by NIST2 and the Colorado School of Mines will be very helpful.

RF Cafe - Tin Whiskers to the extreme (2nd picture down on page). Ah...the wonders of Pb-Free!A big problem with lead-free (aka Pb-Free) solder is that the higher the tin content, the more likely the growth of "tin whiskers." This phenomenon where tiny tendrils grow out of the solder is still not fully understood. The problem is that short circuits can be established between adjacent conductors, and within a high density connector or a fine-pitch IC package. Some military and space-based platforms ban the use of Pb-Free solders for that reason.

  See my handy tip for holding solder while manually soldering.

In the chart below, any solder compound that does not have a "Pb" component is lead-free.

Solder Alloy
 Melting Point (°C) Melting Point (°F)
5Sn-95Pb
 307 585
0.5Sn-92.5Pb-2.5Ag 280 536
Sn/5Sb 243 469
100Sn3
 232 450
99.3Sn-0.7Cu 227 440
96.5Sn-3.5Ag
 221 430
Sn/3.0Ag/0.5Cu 219 426
Sn/3.8Ag/1.0Cu 217 423
Sn/3.5Ag/1.0Cu/3Bi 213 415
50In-50Pb
 209 402
45Sn-55Pb
 204 400
55Sn-45Pb
 193 379
60Sn-40Pb
 186 368
63Sn-37Pb
 183 361
62Sn-36Pb-2Ag
 179 354
97In-3Ag
 143 289
Sn/57Bi 139 282
52In-48Sn 118 244

   1: Reduction of Hazardous Substances
   2: National Institute of Standards and Technology
   3: Pure tin
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Copyright: 1996 - 2024
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    Kirt Blattenberger,
    BSEE - KB3UON

RF Cafe began life in 1996 as "RF Tools" in an AOL screen name web space totaling 2 MB. Its primary purpose was to provide me with ready access to commonly needed formulas and reference material while performing my work as an RF system and circuit design engineer. The World Wide Web (Internet) was largely an unknown entity at the time and bandwidth was a scarce commodity. Dial-up modems blazed along at 14.4 kbps while typing up your telephone line, and a nice lady's voice announced "You've Got Mail" when a new message arrived...

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