Sn addition on the tensile properties of high temperature Zn–4Al–3Mg solder alloys

The Zn–4Al–3Mg based solder alloy is a promising candidate to replace the conventional Pb–5Sn alloy in high-temperature electronic packaging. In this study, the tensile properties of Zn–4Al–3Mg–xSn alloys (x = 0, 6.8 and 13.2 wt.%) at high temperatures (e.g., 100 °C, and 200 °C) were investigated. It was found that the uniaxial tensile strength (UTS) of Zn–4Al–3Mg–xSn solder alloys all decrease monotonously with the increment of temperature. The elongation ratio at 100 °C is superior to that at room temperature whereas follows a significant drop at 200 °C. The microstructure observations show that a typical brittle fracture of Zn–4Al–3Mg alloy occurs at room temperature and 200 °C under normal tension, whereas a ductile fracture is found at 100 °C. The 6.8 wt.% Sn addition in Zn–4Al–3Mg alloy causes a dramatic decrease of yield strength, and a slight deterioration of the ductility.