Studying Structural analysis by (X-ray and SEM) of (96.5-2x)Sn-(x)Ag-(3.5+x)Cu alloy with x=0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4 and 0.5 wt%
In the pursuit of developing high-performance, lead-free solder alloys with enhanced reliability and environmental compliance, this study investigates the structural effects of incorporating the alloy (x)Ag–(3.5+x)Cu into the near-eutectic (96.5–2x)Sn system. The objective is to evaluate the influence of varying Ag and Cu concentrations on phase formation and microstructural evolution. Five alloy compositions were synthesized with x values of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 using conventional melting and casting techniques. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify crystalline phases and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze microstructural features. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that all alloy samples predominantly consist of a single-phase tetragonal β-Sn structure. The incremental addition of silver and copper to the tin matrix enhanced the particle size refinement of the near-eutectic Sn–Ag–Cu ternary alloy. The introduction of the (x)Ag–(3.5+x)Cu alloy into the (96.5–2x)Sn system at varying concentrations (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) resulted in noticeable shifts in diffraction peak positions (2θ), indicating lattice distortion and compositional changes. The calculated lattice parameters closely matched the standard peaks listed in JCPDS PDF No. 04-0673, and no new phases were detected within the ternary systems. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed distinct grayscale variations corresponding to differences in chemical composition and electron density across the microstructure. Notably, even minimal additions of Ag (x = 0.1) significantly improved the microstructural uniformity, which is critical for understanding the structural integrity and potential reliability of Sn–Ag–Cu solder joints in electronic interconnects.
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