Abstract
This paper investigates the creep properties of lead-free (Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu) and lead-containing (Sn37Pb) solder alloys. To simulate the working environment of solder joints in a Microelectronic Packaging Module (EPM), creep failure was estimated using isothermal and combined thermal-mechanical fatigue tests on Ball Grid Array (BGA) specimens over the temperature range 25−75∘𝐶. A steady-state power law creep relationship was employed to determine creep parameters, including stress exponent and activation energy. The results showed that creep exponent (n) increases with temperature in lead-free Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu and decreases in lead-containing Sn37Pb solders. The activation energy and average creep exponent of lead-free solder were, respectively, ∼7% and ∼105% greater than those of lead-containing solder, indicating that Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu alloy has better creep resistance compared to the Sn37Pb solder. The potential sustainability advantages associated with the improved creep resistance of Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu solder are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2529292 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Sustainable & Green Materials |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 30 Jun 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.