This could be a huge breakthrough in Soldering! Lead Free, with much higher electrical and thermal conductivity than tin-based solders, and made of COPPER! Hope it makes it to commercial products soon!
Scientists in the Advanced Materials and Nanosystems directorate at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto have developed a revolutionary nanotechnology copper-based electrical interconnect material, or solder, that can be processed around 200 C. Once fully optimized, the CuantumFuse solder material is expected to produce joints with up to 10 times the electrical and thermal conductivity compared to tin-based materials currently in use. Applications in military and commercial systems are currently under consideration.
In the past, nearly all solders contained lead, but there is now an urgent need for lead-free solder because of a worldwide effort to phase out hazardous materials in electronics. The European Union implemented lead-free solder in 2006. The State of California did so on January 1, 2007, followed soon thereafter by New Jersey and New York City.
The principal lead-free replacement—a combination of tin, silver and copper (Sn/Ag/Cu)—has proven acceptable to the consumer electronics industry that deals mostly with short product life cycles and relatively benign operating environments. However, multiple issues have arisen: high processing temperatures drive higher cost, the high tin content can lead to tin whiskers that can cause short circuits, and fractures are common in challenging environments, making it difficult to quantify reliability. These reliability concerns are particularly acute in systems for the military, aerospace, medical, oil and gas, and automotive industries. In such applications, long service life and robustness of components are critical, where vibration, shock, thermal cycling, humidity, and extreme temperature use can be common.
“To address these concerns, we realized a fundamentally new approach was needed to solve the lead-free solder challenge,” said Dr. Alfred Zinn, materials scientist at the ATC and inventor of CuantumFuse solder. “Rather than finding another multi-component alloy, our team devised a solution based on the well-known melting point depression of materials in nanoparticle form. Given this nanoscale phenomenon, we’ve produced a solder paste based on pure copper.”
A number of requirements were addressed in the development of the CuantumFuse solder paste including, but not limited to: 1) sufficiently small nanoparticle size, 2) a reasonable size distribution, 3) reaction scalability, 4) low cost synthesis, 5) oxidation and growth resistance at ambient conditions, and 6) robust particle fusion when subjected to elevated temperature. Copper was chosen because it is already used throughout the electronics industry as a trace, interconnect, and pad material, minimizing compatibility issues. It is cheap (1/4th the cost of tin; 1/100th the cost of silver, and 1/10,000th that of gold), abundant, and has 10 times the electrical and thermal conductivity compared to commercial tin-based solder.
The ATC has demonstrated CuantumFuse with the assembly of a small test camera board.
How many of us will go back and re-solder all our gear once this becomes available??? Come on, fess up!
Nanotechnology Copper Solder | Product Releases | R&D Magazine
Scientists in the Advanced Materials and Nanosystems directorate at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto have developed a revolutionary nanotechnology copper-based electrical interconnect material, or solder, that can be processed around 200 C. Once fully optimized, the CuantumFuse solder material is expected to produce joints with up to 10 times the electrical and thermal conductivity compared to tin-based materials currently in use. Applications in military and commercial systems are currently under consideration.
In the past, nearly all solders contained lead, but there is now an urgent need for lead-free solder because of a worldwide effort to phase out hazardous materials in electronics. The European Union implemented lead-free solder in 2006. The State of California did so on January 1, 2007, followed soon thereafter by New Jersey and New York City.
The principal lead-free replacement—a combination of tin, silver and copper (Sn/Ag/Cu)—has proven acceptable to the consumer electronics industry that deals mostly with short product life cycles and relatively benign operating environments. However, multiple issues have arisen: high processing temperatures drive higher cost, the high tin content can lead to tin whiskers that can cause short circuits, and fractures are common in challenging environments, making it difficult to quantify reliability. These reliability concerns are particularly acute in systems for the military, aerospace, medical, oil and gas, and automotive industries. In such applications, long service life and robustness of components are critical, where vibration, shock, thermal cycling, humidity, and extreme temperature use can be common.
“To address these concerns, we realized a fundamentally new approach was needed to solve the lead-free solder challenge,” said Dr. Alfred Zinn, materials scientist at the ATC and inventor of CuantumFuse solder. “Rather than finding another multi-component alloy, our team devised a solution based on the well-known melting point depression of materials in nanoparticle form. Given this nanoscale phenomenon, we’ve produced a solder paste based on pure copper.”
A number of requirements were addressed in the development of the CuantumFuse solder paste including, but not limited to: 1) sufficiently small nanoparticle size, 2) a reasonable size distribution, 3) reaction scalability, 4) low cost synthesis, 5) oxidation and growth resistance at ambient conditions, and 6) robust particle fusion when subjected to elevated temperature. Copper was chosen because it is already used throughout the electronics industry as a trace, interconnect, and pad material, minimizing compatibility issues. It is cheap (1/4th the cost of tin; 1/100th the cost of silver, and 1/10,000th that of gold), abundant, and has 10 times the electrical and thermal conductivity compared to commercial tin-based solder.
The ATC has demonstrated CuantumFuse with the assembly of a small test camera board.
How many of us will go back and re-solder all our gear once this becomes available??? Come on, fess up!
Nanotechnology Copper Solder | Product Releases | R&D Magazine
Yes, but can you remove a component by un-soldering it once it is in place? It sounds to me like it is a depressed melting point copper alloy which once processed at elevated temp fuses to become a high melting point copper bond. Repair/removal of soldered components may not be possible.
The ultimate in disposable electronics.
The ultimate in disposable electronics.
Yes, all the industries this is targeted toward are "Replace, not Repair". Not sure about the "ultimate in disposable electronics", at least as something new ... they've been the "ultimate" in that regard for decades.
The only real worry for me if this comes to fruition is that it could lead to elimination of tin/lead solder from the marketplace, since the exempt industries right now are our lifeline to availability.
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Sounds like it becomes unsolderable after the first application... hmmm... but maybe it will sound great? (or not)
Interesting...
_-_-bear
Interesting...
_-_-bear
That shows the contempt felt by the electronics industry for its customers. When I buy something I expect it to last well beyond its brief catalogue life.
I'm sure gents that there will be some black market solder manufacturers prop up if this ever occurs, the demand would be too great to ignore.
There could also be a resurgence in old technology like my Marantz 2275 aswell, I mean its not like a 2275 is going anywhere soon, not unless a copper thief steals it.
Hopefully the continuing unrepairability of modern gear also generates more interest in tube equipment.
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#5 they mention growth resistance... I wonder if this cures the metal whisker growth issue that has brought down quite a few rockets and associated sattlelites over time?
Regards
David
Regards
David
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