Solder & Low-Melting Alloy In52Sn48
ISO Solder Alloy 601
In52Sn48 is a eutectic indium-tin fusible alloy melting at about 118 °C, softer and more ductile than the bismuth-tin eutectics in the same family.
Reference datasheet — In52Sn48 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
What is In52Sn48?
In52Sn48 is a eutectic indium-tin fusible alloy melting at about 118 °C, softer and more ductile than the bismuth-tin eutectics in the same family. It is chosen for vacuum-tight and hermetic sealing and for soldering optical or electronic parts that cannot tolerate normal reflow heat, and is supplied as ingot, wire, flux-core wire, foil, preform, paste, sphere and powder. Strength is very low at 11.9 MPa tensile with 60% elongation and 5 HB, thermal conductivity is 34 W/m·K, electrical conductivity 11.7% IACS and service is limited to roughly 60 °C. Indium content makes it costly; Bi58Sn42 is the lower-cost substitute where indium's ductility and sealing behaviour are not required. In52Sn48 has a density of 7.3 g/cm³ (0.264 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 118°C (244 °F). In52Sn48 has a yield strength of 7 MPa (1.02 ksi) and a tensile strength of 12 MPa (1.73 ksi) — weaker than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 60% and the elastic modulus is 20 GPa (2.9 Msi).
What is In52Sn48 used for?
- vacuum feedthrough sealing
- optical component bonding
- low-temperature electronics soldering
- hermetic sealing of MEMS devices
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 60%, better than 99% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Lightweight — 7.3 g/cm³ (0.264 lb/in³), better than 93% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- High electrical conductivity — 11.7 % IACS, better than 77% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 105 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 98% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low strength — 7 MPa (1.02 ksi), worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Difficult to machine — 20/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Limited service temperature — 60°C (140 °F), worse than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
In52Sn48 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
In52Sn48 has a density of 7.3 g/cm³ (0.264 lb/in³), lighter than 93% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 118°C (244 °F).
Mechanical7
In52Sn48 has a yield strength of 7 MPa (1.02 ksi) and a tensile strength of 12 MPa (1.73 ksi) — weaker than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 60% and the elastic modulus is 20 GPa (2.9 Msi).
Thermal6
In52Sn48 is rated for continuous service to 60°C (140 °F). It conducts heat at 34 W/m·K (19.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 72% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 20 µm/m·K (11.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
In52Sn48 conducts electricity at 11.7 % IACS, better than 77% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), worse than 52% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of In52Sn48 takes about 1,600 MJ of energy and emits 105 kg of CO₂ — more than 97% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
In52Sn48's machinability is poor (20/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability excellent (95/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the solder & low-melting alloy family
Yield strength against density for every solder & low-melting alloy grade FabDigit runs. In52Sn48 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with In52Sn48
Is In52Sn48 easy to machine?
Extremely gummy and low-melting — avoid chip machining; stamp, shear, roll or cast to shape and use chilled/lubricated tooling if cutting is unavoidable.
Can In52Sn48 be welded?
Not fusion-welded; joints are made by remelting the alloy itself at 130–160 °C with mildly activated or no-clean flux, or flux-free in vacuum/forming gas.
Can In52Sn48 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold rolls, extrudes and stamps easily with no annealing needed; store cool and clean to limit surface oxidation before assembly.
In52Sn48 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Ineutectic composition | 51 – 53 | 52 |
| Pbimpurity limit, RoHS-grade material | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Cdimpurity limit | ≤ 0 | |
| Cuimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Biimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Znimpurity limit | ≤ 0 | |
| Asimpurity limit | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Sn | balance |
What surface finishes work on In52Sn48?
Not platable or anodizable; keep joints clean, remove halide flux residues, and protect from humid/sulphurous air to avoid tarnish.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy In52Sn48 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- Solder Alloy 601
- Also called
- IEC B520
How much does In52Sn48 cost?
In52Sn48 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
In52Sn48 — frequently asked
What is In52Sn48 used for?
In52Sn48 is typically used for vacuum feedthrough sealing, optical component bonding, low-temperature electronics soldering and hermetic sealing of MEMS devices. In short: 118 °C eutectic seal alloy; highly ductile indium solder; suits flux-free vacuum reflow.
What is the yield strength of In52Sn48?
In52Sn48 has a typical yield strength of 7 MPa (1.02 ksi) and a tensile strength of 12 MPa (1.73 ksi) — weaker than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is In52Sn48 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (20/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Extremely gummy and low-melting — avoid chip machining; stamp, shear, roll or cast to shape and use chilled/lubricated tooling if cutting is unavoidable.
Can In52Sn48 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Not fusion-welded; joints are made by remelting the alloy itself at 130–160 °C with mildly activated or no-clean flux, or flux-free in vacuum/forming gas.
What surface finishes work on In52Sn48?
Not platable or anodizable; keep joints clean, remove halide flux residues, and protect from humid/sulphurous air to avoid tarnish.
Can In52Sn48 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold rolls, extrudes and stamps easily with no annealing needed; store cool and clean to limit surface oxidation before assembly.
What is the maximum service temperature of In52Sn48?
In52Sn48 is rated for continuous use to about 60°C (140 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does In52Sn48 cost?
In52Sn48 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Indalloy 1E (52In/48Sn) alloy data sheet — Indium Corporation (2023)
- IEC 61190-1-3 Attachment materials for electronic assembly — solder alloy B520 — IEC (2007)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 3: Alloy Phase Diagrams (In–Sn system) — ASM International (1992)
- Properties of Lead-Free Solders / solder thermophysical data — NIST (2002)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.