Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Pb98Sn2
ISO 9453-124
Pb98Sn2 is a nearly pure lead alloy with minimal tin, giving the highest solidus in the Sn-Pb solder family for specialised high-temperature sealing.
Reference datasheet — Pb98Sn2 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 Pb98Sn2?
Pb98Sn2 is a nearly pure lead alloy with minimal tin, giving the highest solidus in the Sn-Pb solder family for specialised high-temperature sealing. It is used for high-temperature sealing, first-stage step soldering and as a lead-alloy filler, and is stocked as bar, wire, foil, preform and powder. Mechanical values are the lowest of the group — 18 MPa tensile, 9 MPa yield, 45 % elongation, 6 HB — and the alloy creeps under any sustained load. Wetting is poor and requires activated rosin or inorganic flux with high preheat; Pb95Sn5 is easier to work if a slightly lower remelt point is acceptable. Pb98Sn2 has a density of 11.2 g/cm³ (0.405 lb/in³), heavier than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 316°C (601 °F). Pb98Sn2 has a yield strength of 9 MPa (1.31 ksi) and a tensile strength of 19 MPa (2.76 ksi) — weaker than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 16 GPa (2.32 Msi).
What is Pb98Sn2 used for?
- high-temperature sealing
- specialized step-soldering
- lead-alloy fillers
Advantages
- High service temperature — 150°C (302 °F), better than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low embodied carbon — 2.2 kg CO₂/kg, better than 88% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 45%, better than 84% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 11.2 g/cm³ (0.405 lb/in³), worse than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low strength — 9 MPa (1.31 ksi), worse than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low stiffness — 16 GPa (2.32 Msi), worse than 88% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 88% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low electrical conductivity — 7.8 % IACS, worse than 76% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Pb98Sn2 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Pb98Sn2 has a density of 11.2 g/cm³ (0.405 lb/in³), heavier than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 316°C (601 °F).
Mechanical11
Pb98Sn2 has a yield strength of 9 MPa (1.31 ksi) and a tensile strength of 19 MPa (2.76 ksi) — weaker than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 16 GPa (2.32 Msi).
Thermal6
Pb98Sn2 is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 35 W/m·K (20.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 68% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 29 µm/m·K (16.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Pb98Sn2 conducts electricity at 7.8 % IACS, worse than 76% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), worse than 52% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Pb98Sn2 takes about 28 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 89% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 65%.
Manufacturability7
Pb98Sn2's machinability is fair (40/100, better than 65% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); 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. Pb98Sn2 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Pb98Sn2
Is Pb98Sn2 easy to machine?
Extremely soft and gummy — use sharp, high-rake tools, generous coolant/lubricant, and capture all swarf and dust as lead-bearing waste.
Can Pb98Sn2 be welded?
Not fusion welded; joints are made by soldering itself, so keep pot temperature 370–430 °C and avoid dross buildup and lead fume exposure.
Can Pb98Sn2 be formed, bent or molded?
Cast, extruded, rolled and stamped cold with essentially no work-hardening limit; recrystallises at room temperature so it will not hold cold-worked strength.
Pb98Sn2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| SnASTM B32 grade Sn2 | 1.5 – 2.5 | 2 |
| Sb | ≤ 0.5 | |
| Bi | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Cu | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Agmax, unless silver-bearing variant ordered | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Fe | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Zn | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Al | ≤ 0.01 | |
| As | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Pbnominally 98 % | balance |
What surface finishes work on Pb98Sn2?
No anodising or plating of the solder itself; wetting requires activated rosin or inorganic flux plus >300 °C preheat, and residues should be cleaned to prevent lead corrosion products.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Pb98Sn2 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ISO
- 9453-124
How much does Pb98Sn2 cost?
Pb98Sn2 is a premium-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Pb98Sn2 — frequently asked
What is Pb98Sn2 used for?
Pb98Sn2 is typically used for high-temperature sealing, specialized step-soldering and lead-alloy fillers. In short: highest-solidus Sn-Pb solder; lowest strength in family; needs aggressive flux.
What is the yield strength of Pb98Sn2?
Pb98Sn2 has a typical yield strength of 9 MPa (1.31 ksi) and a tensile strength of 19 MPa (2.76 ksi) — weaker than 91% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is Pb98Sn2 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (40/100, better than 65% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Extremely soft and gummy — use sharp, high-rake tools, generous coolant/lubricant, and capture all swarf and dust as lead-bearing waste.
Can Pb98Sn2 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Not fusion welded; joints are made by soldering itself, so keep pot temperature 370–430 °C and avoid dross buildup and lead fume exposure.
What surface finishes work on Pb98Sn2?
No anodising or plating of the solder itself; wetting requires activated rosin or inorganic flux plus >300 °C preheat, and residues should be cleaned to prevent lead corrosion products.
Can Pb98Sn2 be formed, bent or molded?
Cast, extruded, rolled and stamped cold with essentially no work-hardening limit; recrystallises at room temperature so it will not hold cold-worked strength.
What is the maximum service temperature of Pb98Sn2?
Pb98Sn2 is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Pb98Sn2 cost?
Pb98Sn2 is a premium-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$), cheaper than about 51% 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
- ASTM B32 — Standard Specification for Solder Metal (alloy grade Sn2) — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (lead and solder alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials (lead and lead alloys) — ASM International (2005)
- NIST Database for Solder Properties with Emphasis on New Lead-Free Solders — NIST / Colorado School of Mines (2002)
- High-lead solder alloy datasheets (Sn2Pb98 / 98Pb-2Sn bar, wire, ribbon, preform) — Indium Corporation / AIM Solder (2023)
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.