Intermetallic Compound Layer Research Articles

Heterogeneous interfaces of aluminum bronze/Inconel 718 dissimilar alloys under different wire arc directed energy deposition sequences

Abstract The layer-by-layer deposition strategy of additive manufacturing makes it ideal to fabricate dissimilar alloy components with varying functionality, which has promising application potential in a large number of industrial areas. In this study, two components composed of ERCuAl-A2 aluminum bronze (CuAl9) and Inconel 718 nickel-based superalloy were fabricated with different deposition orders by wire-arc directed energy deposition. Subject to changes in heat input and thermophysical properties of the substrate, the transition region of the deposited Cu–Ni component with the bottom half of CuAl9 and the top half of Inconel 718 is narrow and serrated. This region features a laminated intermetallic compound layer due to the convection and rapid cooling in the molten pool. In contrast, the Ni–Cu component deposited in the opposite order exhibits a 2 mm gradient transition zone. Within this region, a large number of diverse precipitates were found as well as regional variations in grain size due to the multi-layer partial remelting. Both two components show strong bonds and their tensile specimens tested along the vertical direction always fracture at the softer CuAl9 side. Excellent tensile properties along the horizontal direction were obtained for Cu–Ni (Ultimate tensile strength: 573 MPa, yield stress: 302 MPa, elongation: 22%), while those of Ni–Cu are much lower due to the existence of the solidification cracks in the transition zone. The results from this study provide a reference for the additive manufacturing of Cu/Ni dissimilar alloy components, as well as their microstructure and mechanical properties control.

Study on Mitigation of Interfacial Intermetallic Compounds by Applying Alternating Magnetic Field in Laser-Directed Energy Deposition of Ti6Al4V/AA2024 Dissimilar Materials

Brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface of dissimilar materials can seriously affect the mechanical properties of the dissimilar components. Introducing external assisted fields in the fabrication of dissimilar components is a potential solution to this problem. In this study, an alternating magnetic field (AMF) was introduced for the first time in the additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V/AA2024 dissimilar alloy components by laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED). The effect of the AMF on the interfacial IMCs’ distribution was studied. The results indicate that the contents of the IMCs were different for different magnetic flux densities and frequencies, and the lowest content was obtained with a magnetic flux density of 10 mT at a frequency of 40 Hz. When an appropriate AMF was applied, the IMC layer was no longer continuous at the interface, and the thickness was notably decreased. In addition, the influence of the AMF on the temperature distribution and fluid flow in the melt pool was analyzed through numerical simulation. The simulation results indicate that the effect of the AMF on the temperature of the melt pool was not significant, but it changed the flow pattern inside the melt pool. The two vortices inside the cross-section that formed when the AMF was applied caused different orientations of club-shaped IMCs inside the deposition layer. A sudden change in the streamline direction at the bottom of the longitudinal cross-section of the melt pool can affect the formation of the IMC layer at the interface of dissimilar materials, resulting in inconsistent thickness and even gaps. This work provides a useful guidance for regulating IMCs at dissimilar material interfaces.

Interface characteristics and fracture mechanism of laser-arc hybrid welded Al-Ti dissimilar butt-joint through beam oscillation

Two laser oscillating patterns including circle and inscribed double-circle were adopted for the laser-arc hybrid welding of Al-Ti dissimilar butt-joint, and compared with the none-oscillating hybrid welding. The results showed that a two-layer intermetallic compounds (IMCs) including Al3Ti and Al2Ti was formed at the Al-Ti interface without laser oscillation, and the thickness (τ) of IMCs layer reached up to 5.56 μm. The IMCs layer was transferred to a single-layer Al2Ti with decreased the τ to 1.18 μm by the optimized inscribed double-circle oscillating hybrid welding. The optimized laser oscillation benefited to form local turbulences inside the molten pool, which optimized the composition of interface IMCs layer and effectively reduced its thickness. Due to the combined improvements, the ultimate tensile strength of Al-Ti dissimilar butt-joint was increased by 18% from 182.6 to 215 MPa. The corresponding tensile fracture of welded joint changed from the two-layer IMCs layer to the base metal. Because no orientation relationship between them along the Al3Ti/ Al2Ti was formed, the tensile crack preferentially propagated between the Al3Ti and Al2Ti IMCs at the interface, resulting in the poor tensile properties.

Formation of the Interlock Morphology and Its Role in Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding of Aluminum Alloy to Steel

Considering energy conservation and emission reductions, lightweight automobiles have become a research focus in the automotive industry. Steel/aluminum joining is regarded as an ideal lightweight structure, which can not only reduce the energy consumption but also ensure safety and is already attracting extensive attention. In this study, aluminum alloy 6061 and B410LA steel sheets were successfully joined by refill friction stir spot welding. The tensile properties, microhardness distribution and interfacial microstructure characteristics of the steel/Al welded joints were investigated. The maximum tensile load of the steel/Al joint was 4.3 kN. The mechanical properties of the steel/Al refill friction stir spot welded joint were largely determined by the bonding quality of the sleeve-plunging zone. With the stirring of the sleeve and the pin during the refill friction stir spot welding, work hardening occurred in the stir zone (SZ). The microhardness of the SZ was significantly higher than that of the steel base metal (BM) and could be detected on the steel side. The Fe-Al intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was continuously distributed at the interface of the sleeve-plunging zone, revealing good uniformity in the thickness. In particular, a hook-and-vortex-like structure formed during the refill friction stir spot welding process in the sleeve-plunging zone, producing a mechanical interlock effect at the interface. The ideal mechanical properties of the welded joint could be attributed to the good quality of the metallurgical and mechanical bonding at the interface, especially the mechanical interlock effect, thereby depending on the hook-and-vortex-like structure.

Ni mesh-reinforced ultrasonic-assisted Cu/Sn58Bi/Cu joint performance: Experiments and first-principles calculations

The Ni mesh was incorporated into the Cu/Sn58Bi/Cu bonding as a reinforcing skeleton to achieve an enhancement effect analogous to steel reinforcement in concrete. Ultrasonic-assisted soldering (UAS) improved the metallurgical bond among the solder, Ni mesh, and substrate. It facilitated the formation of (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layers, increasing the joint strength. Observations indicated that ultrasonic treatment effectively refined the (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 grains and induced a uniform preferred orientation of β-Sn and Bi grains in the joint matrix adjacent to the Ni mesh. The shear strength of the joint reached 72.23 MPa when the ultrasonic application was sustained for 15 s, achieving the fabrication of a high-strength point with low energy consumption. First-principles calculations have confirmed that changes in the Ni content within (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 IMCs improved the stability of the crystal structure. Furthermore, the variations in content could potentially improve the mechanical and electrical properties of the (Cu, Ni)6Sn5. Enhancements in ultrasonic efficiency and the reinforcement of IMC structures offer new avenues for research in green and high-performance electronic packaging material joining technologies.

Influence of Al2O3 Nanoparticles on the Morphology and Growth Kinetics of Cu-Sn Intermetallic Compounds in Sn-Ag-Zn/Cu Solder Joints

Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) growth can simultaneously bring about low-resistance electrical pathways and drastically reduce joint lifetime. Recently, incorporated trace nanoparticles into the free-Pb solder were found to promote the performance of the solder joints. Sn3Ag0.9Zn (SAZ) nano-composite solders were developed by doping 0.5 wt.% Al2O3 nanoparticles into the SAZ solder. The IMCs formation and growth behavior at the interfacial reactions between the SAZ-0.5Al2O3 nano-composite solder and the Cu substrate during soldering at temperatures ranging from 250 to 325 °C for 30 min were investigated. The results showed that after the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles into the SAZ solder, the elongated-type IMCs layer changed into a prism-type IMCs layer, and Ag3Sn nanoparticles were absorbed on the grain surface of the interfacial Cu6Sn5 phase, effectively suppressing the growth of the IMCs layers. The activation energies (Q) for the IMCs layers (Cu6Sn5 + Cu3Sn) were determined to be 36.4 and 39.1 kJ/mol for the SAZ/Cu and SAZ-Al2O3/Cu solders, respectively.

Effect of Ultrasound on Microstructure and Properties of Aluminum–Copper Friction Stir Lap Welding

In this paper, the influence mechanism of ultrasound on plastic flow and microstructure features of the aluminum–copper friction stir lap welding (Al/Cu-FSLW) process is systematically investigated by adjusting the welding speed and improving the shear rheology in the plastic stirring zone. Through adjusting the ultrasonic vibration and welding speed, the directional control of mechanical properties is realized. It is found that increasing the welding speed properly is beneficial to enhance the mechanical shear between the tool and the workpiece, thus forming more staggered layered structures at the copper side and improving the tensile strength of the weld. The acoustic softening enhances the viscoplastic fluid mixing and strengthens the mechanical interlock of the Al/Cu lap interface. As the welding speeds increase or ultrasonic vibration is applied, the thickness of Al/Cu intermetallic compound (IMC) decreases, and the tensile strength and elongation of the Al/Cu joints are enhanced. Compared with adjusting the welding speed, the ultrasonic vibration can further refine the copper particles which are stirred into the plastic zone, and the thinning effect of ultrasound on IMC layers is better than that of increasing welding speed. At the welding speed of 60 mm/min, the IMC layer thickness is reduced by 42% under ultrasonic effect. In three welding speed conditions, the UV reduced the absolute value of the effective heat of formation (EHF) for Al2Cu and Al4Cu9 and suppressed the formation of AlCu phase. Meanwhile, only when the welding speed is increased from 60 mm/min to 100 mm/min can the formation of AlCu be suppressed. Under the ultrasonic optimization, the stable improvement of welding efficiency is ensured.

Analysis of fatigue fracture mechanism of laser spiral welding of dissimilar metals of 6082 high strength aluminum alloy and DP980 high strength dual phase steel

This paper investigates the relationship between weld quality, influencing factors, microstructure and mechanical properties of laser spiral dissimilarity welding of 6082 high-strength aluminum alloy and DP980 high-strength dual-phase steel, focusing on the fatigue properties and fracture mechanism of 6082-DP980 dissimilar metal welded joints. The research shows that intermetallic compound layers (IMCs) dominate the fatigue crack initiation stage and part of the crack extension stage, two fatigue crack initiation modes are obtained, one is the main crack initiation mode along the FeAl and FeAl2 interlayer, and the other is the secondary crack initiation mode along the Fe3Al and FeAl interlayer. In the crack propagation stage, due to the diffusion of Fe and Al elements generated by IMCs during the welding process, solid solution strengthening, intergranular strengthening and grain boundary strengthening, in the fatigue crack propagation stage formed a hardened zone, hindering the main crack to continue to expand along the IMCs, the main crack shifted to the expansion of the 6082 base material, thus extending the fatigue life.

The microstructure and properties of copper coating fabricated by high velocity arc spraying

In this paper, the conductive copper coating on the surface of silicon nitride ceramics was fabricated by high velocity arc spraying with copper wires. The results indicate that copper coating with porosity less than 2.4 % was obtained, and a metallurgical bonding between the copper coating and the ceramic substrate. The copper coating presented a high microhardness of 303HV which surpassed the copper alloy and the thin film deposited by electrodeposition. Moreover, the copper coating exhibited a superior conductivity of 27.5 MS/m. Due to the rougher surface of the copper coating compared to copper sheet, a jagged intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was promoted during soldering process. It is feasible that an excellent conductive copper coating on the surface of ceramic substrate can be fabricated by high velocity arc spraying.

Tailoring intermetallic compound formation within laser weld brazed joints using a novel heat input approach

The challenge of intermetallic compound (IMC) embrittlement, resulting from thick IMC layers at the braze/substrate interface, and the lack of a clear strategy to manipulate IMC formation, has hindered the development of reliable laser weld brazing (LWB) processes. This study addresses these challenges by introducing a novel approach to IMC manipulation during LWB of thin-gauge Zn-coated steel with Si-bronze filler on a double-flanged lap joint. By shifting IMC formation from the interface towards the interior region of the braze, the research mitigates embrittlement by developing a new IMC category, termed surrounded interface-IMCs (SI-IMCs), distinct from traditional interface-IMCs (I-IMCs). The study proposes a Wire-adjusted heat input strategy to optimize brazing conditions, introducing a relative heat input equation (HIRelative) that correlates with various brazing defects and IMC formation. The generic scientific contribution of this work lies in identifying a critical HIRelative value of 32 J/mm for defect-free brazing, with an additional threshold of 12.44 J/mm above this level to promote a high density of SI-IMCs, occupying up to 38.2 ± 16.9 % of the braze cross-sectional area. These SI-IMCs, characterized by a shell-like Fe-Si layer and a bulky (Fe-rich)-Cu eutectic phase, enhance the mechanical performance of the brazed joints. Furthermore, this study reveals the novel role of Mn segregation in creating diffusion channels for Fe-Si IMC development, advancing the scientific understanding of IMC formation. Visualization through digital image correlation (DIC) during tensile testing showed that increasing the SI-IMC area fraction from 1.2 ± 2.4 % to 38.2 ± 16.9 % resulted in a 14 % increase in tensile peak load and a 350 % increase in ductility. This highlights the critical role of SI-IMCs in improving the strength and ductility of LWB joints, offering a new pathway for enhancing the performance of brazed structures.

Optimization of the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a TC4 Alloy Joint Brazed with a Zr-Based Filler Containing a Co Element.

Herein, we fabricated a low-melting-point Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co eutectic filler based on a Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni filler to achieve effective joining of a Ti6Al4V (TC4) titanium alloy. The temperature at which the brittle intermetallic compound (IMC) layer in the seam completely disappeared was reduced from 920 °C to 900 °C, which broadened the temperature range of the Zr-based filler, brazing the TC4 without a brittle IMC layer. The shear strength of the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint increased by 113% more than that of the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint at 900 °C. The proportion of β-Ti in the seam of the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint increased by 21.31% compared with that of the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint. The nano-indentation results show that the elastic modulus of the β-Ti (143 GPa) in the interface is lower than that of the α-Ti (169 GPa) and (Ti,Zr)2(Ni,Cu,Co) (203 GPa). As a result, the β-Ti is subjected to a greater strain under the same stress state compared with the α-Ti and (Ti,Zr)2(Ni,Cu,Co), and the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint can maintain a higher strength than the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint under a middle-low erosion area of the TC4 base metal. This provides valuable insights into the use of high-strength, fatigue-resistant TC4 brazed joints in engineering applications.

КИНЕТИКА РОСТА ДИФФУЗИОННЫХ ПРОСЛОЕК В СКМ 20880+АД1+ВТ1-0

It is shown that the diffusion zone at the interlayer boundary of steel 20880 + aluminum AD1 consists of two layers: the Fe2Al5 intermetallic compound located on the steel side and constituting the main part of the diffusion zone, and a thin (up to 10 μm) layer of the FeAl3 intermetallic compound on the aluminum side. Microhardness of the diffusion zone ~ 12 GPa. It has been established that the intensity of growth of the diffusion zone at the interlayer boundary of aluminum AD1 + titanium VT1-0 with the phase composition TiAl3 is almost one and a half times lower than at the interlayer boundary of steel 20880 + aluminum AD1. Its microhardness is ~5 GPa.

Evolution of Atomic-Level Interfacial Fracture Mechanics in Magnesium-Zinc Compounds Used for Bioresorbable Vascular Stents.

Bioresorbable magnesium-metal vascular stents are gaining popularity due to their biodegradable nature and good biological and mechanical properties. They are also suitable candidate materials for biodegradable stents. Due to the rapid degradation rate of Mg metal vascular scaffolds, a Mg/Zn bilayer composite was formed by a number of means, such as magnetron sputtering and physical vapor deposition, thus delaying the degradation time of the Mg metal vascular scaffolds while providing good radial support for the stenotic vessels. However, the interlaminar compounds at the metal interface have an essential impact on the mechanical properties of the bi-material interface, especially the cracking and delamination of the Mg matrix Zn coating vascular stent in the radially expanded process layer. Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are commonly found in dual-layer composites, such as Mg/Zn composites and multi-layer structures. They are frequently overlooked in simulations aiming to predict mechanical properties. This paper analyses the interfacial failure processes and evolutionary mechanisms of interfacial fracture mechanics of a Mg/Zn interface with an intermetallic compound layer between coated Zn and Mg matrix metallic vascular stents. The simulation results show that the fracture mode in the Mg/Zn interface with an intermetallic compound involves typical ductile fracture under static tensile conditions. The dislocation line defects mainly occur on the side of the Mg, which induces the Mg/Zn interfacial crack to expand along the interface into the pure Mg. The stress intensity factor and the critical strain energy release rate decrease as the intermetallic compound layer's thickness gradually increases, indicating that the intensity of stress and the force of the crack extending and expanding along the crack tip are weakened. The presence of intermetallic compounds at the interface can significantly strengthen the mechanical properties of the material interface and alleviate the crack propagation between the interfaces.

Effect of intermetallic compounds on the mechanical properties of Cu/Al clad sheets with an SS304 interlayer

Annealing treatments were conducted on Cu/Al clad sheets incorporating a 304 stainless steel (SS304) interlayer to investigate the impact of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) on the mechanical properties of these clad sheets with an interfacial layer. Additionally, the mechanisms of interfacial strengthening and crack propagation behavior were examined. It was found that the best overall performance was achieved for samples annealed at 200 °C, showing tensile strength, fracture elongation, and peeling strength values of 219 MPa, 7.19 %, and 19.6 N/mm, respectively. For the rolled clad sheet, cracks typically initiated at the edges of the SS304 fragments, accompanied by minor residual holes and stress concentrations. Post-annealing, the Cu and Al layers underwent varying degrees of recovery and recrystallization, and element diffusion increased, leading to improvements in elongation and interfacial bonding strength of the clad sheets. As the thickness of the IMCs grew, the interfacial crack propagation path shifted to the Al2Cu/AlCu interface within the IMC layer, significantly reducing the bonding strength.

Influence of FSW process on dissimilar T-joint of aluminum alloy to pure copper

ABSTRACT This work investigated the influence of friction stir welding (FSW) parameter on forming the dissimilar T-joint of aluminum alloy 6061 (AA6061) to pure copper (C1100). The experimental outcomes indicated that the hook formation trended to move toward the center of welding line at low welding and/or high rotational speeds. In all cases, the kissing bond (KB) defects were significantly observed in advancing (AS) compared to retreating sides (RS). The thickness of diffusion and intermetallic compound (IMC) layers decreased with increasing welding and/or decreasing rotational speeds. A highest joint efficiency was attained with approximately 74% at 500/125 rev/mm of the skin test and 34% at 500/100 rev/mm of the stringer tests. The fracture process under the stringer test initiated from the AS to the RS along the interface while that of the skin test cracked in the heat affected zone. Improving dissimilar T-joint of AA6061/C1100 was impacted not only by controlling the KB defect but also the IMC layer thickness.

Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding

In this work, the resistance spot welding (RSW) process was performed to join aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel plates. The macro characteristics including nugget diameters and indentation rates, microstructure and tensile-shear strength of RSW joints were investigated. The results showed that the nugget of the RSW joints comprises a ‘bowl’ shape nugget on the aluminum side and an elliptical shape nugget on the steel side. Also, the intermetallic compound (IMC) layers containing Fe4Al13 and Fe2Al5 were formed around the aluminum/steel interface with the steel side having a tongue-shape and the aluminum side having a needle-shape. According to metallurgical evaluation and temperature distribution of RSW joints analyzed by the finite element method, the nugget on the aluminum side contained the dendritic grains and equiaxed dendritic grains. The nugget on the steel side consisted of a large amount of bainite and a small amount of coarse lath martensite. The nugget diameters and the indentations rates of RSW joints increased when increasing either welding current or welding time, and decreased when increasing the electrode pressure. The maximum values of nugget diameter and indentation rate of RSW joints were 9.076 mm and 4.144% when using the welding current of 16 kA, welding time of 450 ms and electrode force of 3 kN. In tensile-shear tests, the RSW joints showed a shear-off fracture mode. When increasing the welding current, welding time or electrode force, the tensile-shear strength of RSW joints increased first, and then reached a maximum, and finally decreased. The welding current of 16 kA, the welding time of 300 ms, and the electrode pressure of 3 kN were considered as the optimal welding parameters in the present study which resulted in the maximum tensile-shear strength of 2.24 kN. In addition, the IMC layers of the RSW joints exhibited a uniform and continuous appearance with a thickness of approximately 1.9 μm, and the IMC layer in the central area was thicker than that in the edge area.

Anisotropic corrosion behavior of laser-based direct energy deposited H13 steel in molten ADC12 aluminum alloy

The immersion corrosion experiment of laser-based direct energy deposited H13 steel in ADC12 aluminum alloy melt was conducted to evaluate the demands for corrosion resistance after mold repair. The effect of the anisotropic microstructure of the deposited H13 steel on corrosion behavior was elucidated by characterizing the microstructure before and after corrosion. The results show that the microstructural heterogeneity affects the initiation, development and stabilization process of corrosion. Corrosion tends to initiate near the heat-affected zone due to the heterogeneous distribution of grain size, carbides, and dislocation density. Planes with weak microstructural heterogeneity are less likely to develop cracks in the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer during the corrosion development stage, thus exhibiting a slower corrosion rate. The IMCs layer of plane with weak microstructural heterogeneity stabilizes more quickly during the corrosion stabilization stage. The plane perpendicular to the build direction exhibits the highest corrosion resistance due to fewer corrosion initiation locations and the weakest microstructural heterogeneity. Furthermore, the composite structure of carbide core + Si phase shell, generated during corrosion, contributes to improving localized corrosion resistance. This study provides insights into understanding the influence of the heterogeneous microstructure from additive manufacturing on the reaction-diffusion process and offers guidance on direction selection when preparing components for applications in contact with aluminum melts using additive manufacturing techniques.

Lifetime prediction of copper pillar bumps based on fatigue crack propagation

2.5D package realizes the interconnection of multiple dies through Si interposers, which can greatly improve the data transmission rate between dies. However, its multi-layer structure and high package density also place higher reliability requirements on the interconnection structure. As a key structure for interconnection, copper pillar bump (CPB) has small size, high heat generation, and thermal mismatch with silicon chips. The thermal fatigue failure of CPB has gradually become the main failure mode in 2.5D package. Due to the small size of CPB and the large proportion of intermetallic compound (IMC) layers, the lifetime prediction method of spherical solder joints is no longer suitable for CPB. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a fatigue lifetime prediction method for CPB. This paper establishes a method for obtaining the lifetime of CPB based on the basic theory of fatigue crack propagation. Using the extended finite element simulation method, the crack propagation lifetime of CPB under thermal cycling was obtained, and the influence of different IMC layer thickness on the fatigue lifetime of CPB was analyzed. The results indicated that the fatigue lifetime of cracks propagating in the IMC layer is lower than that of cracks propagating in the solder layer, and an increase in the thickness of the IMC layer leads to a significant decrease in the fatigue lifetime of CPB. The lifetime prediction method for CPB proposed in this paper can be used for reliability evaluation of 2.5D package, and has certain reference value for the study of the lifetime of CPB.

Improved strength and interfacial microstructure of dissimilar Al/steel weld via combined addition of Zn and Ni

The effect of the combined addition of Zn and Ni on the mechanical properties and microstructures of an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer of dissimilar welds of Al alloy 5052 to low-carbon steel was systematically investigated. A maximum weld strength of 120 MPa was achieved with the combined addition of Zn and Ni, which was 193 % higher than that of the weld produced without the addition of Zn or Ni. The addition of Zn resulted in the formation of soft Fe–Zn IMCs in the IMC layer, which reduced the hardness of the IMC layer. Additionally, the combined addition of Zn and Ni promoted the formation of Fe–Zn IMCs, which further softened the IMC layer. Further softening of the IMC layer, reduction in the thickness of the IMC layer, and suppression of the formation of defects in the IMC layer, achieved by the combined addition of Zn and Ni, drastically improved the weld strength.

Analysis of BGA Lead-Free solder joints failure behavior based on thermal shock testing

The interconnected solder joints within automotive electronic components are the most vulnerable parts of the structure, and their reliability is crucial for the development of new energy vehicles. This study focuses on automotive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) devices, analyzing the failure behavior of internal BGA (Ball Grid Array) lead-free solder joints under thermal shock conditions.Through thermal shock testing from −40℃ to 95℃, it was observed that microcracks first appeared in the upper intermetallic compound (IMC) layer of corner solder joints after 1600 cycles. As the number of thermal shock cycles increased, the net-like β-Sn phase in the solder joints gradually transformed into block and dot-like structures. Due to the relatively weak strength between the IMC layer and the Ag-Sn compound region, cracks typically propagated along the boundaries of these areas. Recrystallization occurred in the interface between the solder joint and the upper pad, with the proportion of high-angle grain boundaries increasing from 10.74% to 72.43%. The crack propagation mode changed from initial intergranular to transgranular fracture. Throughout the thermal shock test, the upper IMC layer remained thicker than the lower one, with the lower IMC layer thickness showing a minimum point at 750 cycles.The average thrust force between the solder joints and the substrate decreased more rapidly with thermal shock cycles, indicating that non-solder mask defined pads are more effective in improving structural strength.