New Technology for the Environment: Environmentally-Conscious, Economically-Feasible Electronics Manufacturing

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Investigators

Abstract

This New Technologies for the Environment project will assess the feasibility of using lead-free solder with existing manufacturing equipment, through novel processing. Using this process may have the added benefit that fluxes, potentially hazardous organic materials, may be eliminated from the solder paste as well. Solder joints will be prepared by a solid state process, known as sintering where by powders are joined without melting the powder. Sintering is widely used to manufacture ceramics and high temperature metals. In the process proposed here, solders considered as alternatives to lead-tin solder will be heated to slightly below their melting point and allowed to sinter. Were these alternatives used in conventional processing, electronic materials would be exposed to temperatures 50C higher than if lead-tin were used. By sintering, the temperature will actually be reduced. This technique can also be used to form cold solder joints with mechanical integrity. This means that a wider range of materials can be considered. In this project students at VCU will prepare novel low flux solder pastes, form joints through sintering, and test their mechanical integrity. The mechanical integrity of these joints will be compared to those prepared by lead-tin solder.