None of this should matter, antimony itself is less toxic than silver based on the sources I could find that separated antimony as it is found in solder & electronics, (antimony and toxic compounds containing antimony are often lumped together in many reports). The deep mental relation between antimony and lead, and toxic compounds containing antimony make this a difficult perception to overcome. A compound known as antimony trioxide, formerly a commonly used fire retardant that is now outlawed or heavily restricted, and several related compounds used in plastic production add to this confusion. The core answer to your question is that companies were and still are adverse to creating & marketing a product containing an element which is often assumed to be more toxic than it is. Perhaps mandatory labeling is worth considering, but one harmful interaction with one specific soldering fluid does not fully explain the slow uptake. Chlorine and ammonia based cleaners have this same issue, and are definitely used in the same settings. The possibility of antimony + zinc chloride toxicity are relevant, but this alone cannot explain the public perception of antimony toxicity. That said, concerns over antimony toxicity are still very much a problem that prevents higher quality lead-free solder from flourishing. Since the time you asked this question there are now more products containing antimony on the market. Some sources say that AIM has a patent on it, but according to this it only applies in USA and Japan. Less silver oxide (which ruins the solder when heated for too long).Inhibits tin pest and other undesirable compounds.Īnd here are some more advantages that come specifically from replacing some of the silver with antimony:.Increased wetting (probably, although 0.3% is more optimal for this).Here are some advantages I see of the Ag03A alloy vs SAC305 (due to the antimony): It's still not as common as the above mentioned alloys in mass production, and is almost nowhere to be found for hand solder wire. The most common electrical solder alloy with antimony is Ag03A (96.2%Sn, 2.5%Ag, 0.8%Cu, 0.5%Sb). Most of these are mechanical (strength) benefits, similar to the benefits of silver while being cheaper. Small amounts of antimony (Sb) have been shown to improve the properties of tin-based solder. It does not have a flux core, so you can choose the flux that works best for your application.ĭesigned for use in electrical or electronic connections subject to peak temperatures of approximately 4000F and in sweating copper tube joints in refrigeration equipment.The most common lead free electrical solder alloys are SAC305 (96.5%Sn, 3.0%Ag, 0.5%Cu) and Sn99 (99.3%Sn, 0.7%Cu), especially for hand soldering wire. It keeps its strength in applications where vibration and frequent and extreme temperature changes occur, such as in water lines and refrigeration equipment. This solder is commonly used in solder melting pots. The 95/5 solder has a narrow melting range, between 450 F and 464 F. It is a lead-free high strength alloy that exhibits excellent creep resistance and is used where frequent and extreme temperature changes and vibrations occur such as refrigeration lines and cooling equipment. This is a 95% Tin, 5% Antimony bar solder that measures about 13 3/4 x 3/4 x 3/8 and weighs 0.7-0.9 lbs.
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