Effect of Rare Earths on Solidification Microstructure and High Temperature Mechanical Property of Sn60-Pb40 Solder alloy

Trace rare earth elements were used in order to strengthen the Sn60 Pb40 solder alloy. The experimental results show that the high temperature tensile strength of near eutectic Sn60 Pb40 solder alloy is increased by about 70% after adding trace rare earth elements. Analysis shows that the high affinity between rare earth element and Sn leads to the variation of contact angle at the three phase junction of S/L interface during eutectic growth and further changes the Pb concentration at the S/L interface needed for coupled eutectic growth. Thus the eutectic microstructure can directly grow upon the primary Pb rich phase and the formation of coarse Sn rich halo is suppressed. Therefore homogeneous metallurgical microstructure can be obtained.