Abstract
The environmental stability and the failure mechanisms of a cathodically chromated lead/tin (38/62) alloy joint bonded with an ethylene‐acrylic acid (EAA) copolymer have been investigated in acidic solutions. Immersion of the joint in acidic solutions causes rapid decrease in peel strength and finally interfacial separation. ESCA analysis of the peeled surfaces shows that this decrease in peel strength is due to an interfacial degradation between the chromate film and the underlying alloy (consisting both of lead and tin phases). The retention time, during which a joint retains the initial peel strength, decreases with increasing anode current density of the alloy in acidic solutions or with decreasing polarization resistance. This result suggests that the interfacial failure at the chromate‐alloy interface results from anodic dissolution of the underlying alloy. A failure mechanism of the chromated alloy joint in acidic solutions has been proposed: The degradation at the chromate‐alloy interface occurs through rapid anodic dissolution of the lead phase and slow anodic dissolution of the tin phase.
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