Effects of Ge on Microstructure, Spreadability, and Mechanical Properties of the Sn-32Pb-18Cd Solder Alloy

In this paper, the effects of x Ge ( x = 0, 0.002, 0.005, 0.01%) on the melting point, spreadability, wettability, microstructure, and mechanical properties of Sn-32Pb-18Cd solder alloys were investigated. The experiment results showed that the addition of Ge could increase the spreading area and wetting properties. The microstructures of solder alloy after reflowing were mainly composed of Pb phase and β -Sn phases, and the Cd element was distributed in the matrix. The addition of Ge could enhance the tensile strength and ductility. When the Ge content was equal to 0.005%, the maximum elongation reached 53.70%.