Microstructures and properties of Bi10Ag high temperature solder doped with Cu element

High temperature Bi10Ag solders with different amounts of Cu were used to investigate the impacts of Cu on the microstructures, melting characteristics, wettability and shear strength of the Bi-10Ag-xCu (x = 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) solders. A metastable Cu-rich phase was formed due to the addition of Cu. The Cu has negligible effect on the solidus but it can decrease about 6 °C on the liquidus. Doped with 0.5 wt% of Cu, the solders showed the largest melting range in the DSC curves and improved wettability on Cu substrates. When the Cu addition excesses to 0.5 wt%, it will induce negative effects on wettability of the solders on the substrate. Moreover, the addition of Cu has no significant influence on the strength of the Bi10Ag lap solder joints. The Bi-10Ag-0.5Cu solder joint has higher shear strength than that of Pb5Sn.