The Effect of Temperature and Strain Rate on Selected Lead-Free Solder Alloys

The temperature and strain rate effects on the shear properties of selected Pb-free solders were investigated. The experiments were performed using single lap shear specimens. All testing was performed using a standard tensile test metrology. The following results were found: 1) Sn-3.5 wt.% Ag outperformed all the other solders in terms of its mechanical strength at all test conditions due to the formation of Ag3Sn precipitates in the bulk solder and Cu6Sn5 intermetallic formation along the interface. However, ductility was sacrificed as this solder strain hardens. 2) The strength and ductility of the solder joint is strongly dependent on the test temperature and strain rate. Data in this work reflects a decrease in strength and ductility when the test temperature is increased. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increase in energy as temperature is increased to overcome dislocation barriers such as impurities and grain boundaries that impede the motion of dislocation. When strain rate is increased, the amount of plastic deformation experienced by the solder increases and more dislocations are formed. Due to the increase in proximity and number of the dislocations, the net result is that motion of the dislocations are hindered thus requiring more stress to deform the material.