By DIANE HELDT
Staff Writer
A third licensing agreement has been signed for the first lead-free solder alloy, developed by scientists at the Ames Laboratory, making the solder widely available throughout Asia.
Iver Anderson, director of the lab's metallurgy and ceramics program, led the team that developed solder alloy, which does not contain lead or any other elements that come from lead ore or lead mining. The solder is an alloy of tin, silver and copper, making it more environmentally friendly than an alloy with lead, Anderson said.
The lead-free solder alloy has the same potential for widespread use as tin-lead solder, which is the current industry standard, Anderson said.
"The idea is we would like to eliminate the future need for lead mining as a global environmental goal," he said. "Lead is one of the most well documented toxins in our environment right now."
In addition to its environmental advantages, lead-free solder is as easy to use as tin-lead solder, but it is stronger and performs better under high-heat conditions, like those found in a car engine, Anderson said.
In an effort to exclude lead from all commercial products because of its toxic properties, even at very low concentrations, there are four stages researchers have worked for, Anderson said. The first and second stages, eliminating lead from paint and gasoline, have been accomplished. The third was eliminating lead from solders, which the Ames Lab researchers have done. The fourth is eliminating lead from batteries, which Ames Lab scientists are currently working on, Anderson said.
"We're getting there with those goals," he said. "It's good to know that it's almost been accomplished."
After the lead-free solder alloy was developed in 1996, it was licensed to an Iowa-based company that produces solder wire and ingots for industrial applications. In 1997, a second licensing agreement was signed with Multicore Solders, a European-based company with a large manufacturing plant in Texas. Multicore sells solder to electronics and automotive industries throughout the world.
Recently, a third licensing agreement was signed with Nihon Superior co., a Japanese solder manufacturer. Nihon manufactures solder paste, wire and ingots, and has a broad industrial customer base throughout Asia, Anderson said. Among its customers are Matsushita, which manufactures home electronics, and Toyota.
"The Nihon agreement is a final piece in the worldwide licensing of our lead-free
solder. It give us access to markets in Japan and the Far East," Anderson said.
"The three major manufacturing areas of solders are Europe, the U.S. and the Far
East, so we are in the areas we want to be in."
Published July 14, 1998
Last revision: 7/16/98 sd
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