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US 2019/0100849 A1Published application
Systems and methods for tin antimony plating
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorThomas A. Woodrow
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Abstract
Systems and methods for tin antimony plating are provided. One plating method includes doping a tin (Sn) plating solution with antimony (Sb). One method also includes electroplating a component using the antimony-doped tin plating. The antimony-doped tin plating formed by one method includes between about 1% and about 3% antimony.
Claims12
A method for reducing tin whisker formation on an electroplated substrate, the method comprising:
- forming an electrolyte comprising a tin (Sn) plating solution;
- adding an antimony (Sb)-containing solution to the electrolyte;
- forming an electroplating bath comprising the electrolyte and the added antimony containing solution, wherein the electroplating bath is maintained at a constant temperature between 65° C. and 75° C.;
- and
- electroplating a substrate to form an antimony-doped tin plating on the substrate, wherein the antimony-doped tin plating comprises 1% to 5% antimony by weight of the antimony-doped tin plating.
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A method for tin plating a substrate to reduce tin whisker formation, the method comprising:
- producing an electrolyte by:
- forming a tin sulfate solution by dissolving tin sulfate in deionized water;
- filtering the tin sulfate solution to obtain a first solution that is clear and becomes cloudy upon sitting;
- stirring into the first solution that is cloudy an amount of sulfuric acid to provide a second solution that is clear;
- stirring a surfactant into the second solution;
- stirring a formaldehyde solution into the second solution;
- stirring benzyl alcohol into the second solution;
- heating the second solution to a first temperature between 70° C. and 80° C. in a water bath;
- preparing an antimony solution by dissolving an amount of antimony powder in sulfuric acid with heating and stirring;
- adding an amount of the antimony solution to the second solution being maintained at 75° C.;
- and
- plating the substrate with the second solution and the added antimony solution to form an antimony doped tin plating on the substrate,
- wherein the antimony doped tin plating reduces tin whisker formation compared to an undoped tin plating.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.