Influence of La_2O_3 nanoparticle additions on microstructure, wetting, and tensile characteristics of Sn-Ag-Cu alloy

摘要

In this study, the effect of La_2O_3 nanoparticles (0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.1 wt.%) has been investigated in Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC-305) alloy. The various soldering properties have been tested, such as wettability, microstructural evolution, intermetallic compound formation, micro-hardness, tensile strength, and fracture analysis of tensile tested samples. La_2O_3 nanoparticles are added in the Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu alloy by mechanical mixing of powders and melting. The structural and morphological features of the samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA). The experimental results indicate that the best combination of microstructural, wetting and tensile properties is obtained at 0.05 wt.% La_2O_3 in the solder matrix. The sample reinforced with 0.05 wt.% La_2O_3 i.e., SAC-0.05 La2O3 exhibits ～18% increase in microhardness, ～26% increase in the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and ～14% elongation due to the adsorption of high surface energy of La_2O_3 nanoparticles in the matrix.