Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Sn10Pb90
ASTM Sn10 · JIS H10A · GB HLSnPb10-90
Sn10Pb90 is a high-lead tin–lead solder (10% Sn, 90% Pb; H10A, HLSnPb10-90) that freezes over 268–302 °C, well above the reflow temperature of eutectic and lead-free solders.
Reference datasheet — Sn10Pb90 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 Sn10Pb90?
Sn10Pb90 is a high-lead tin–lead solder (10% Sn, 90% Pb; H10A, HLSnPb10-90) that freezes over 268–302 °C, well above the reflow temperature of eutectic and lead-free solders. It is used as the base joint in step-soldering sequences and for semiconductor die attach in power packaging, and is supplied as bar, wire, cored wire, paste, preform and sphere. Strength is low: 14 MPa yield, 25 MPa tensile, 28% elongation, 10 HB, with service to about 150 °C. The wide freezing range promotes pasty-zone cracking and segregation if cooling is uncontrolled, and lead limits use to RoHS-exempt products; Sn5Pb95 goes higher in temperature. Sn10Pb90 has a density of 10.75 g/cm³ (0.388 lb/in³), heavier than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 268°C (514 °F). Sn10Pb90 has a yield strength of 14 MPa (2.03 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 85% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 23 GPa (3.34 Msi).
What is Sn10Pb90 used for?
- semiconductor die-attach
- step-soldering base layer
- high-temperature electronic assembly
Advantages
- High service temperature — 150°C (302 °F), better than 92% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low embodied carbon — 3.1 kg CO₂/kg, better than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 35/100, worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 88% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Heavy — 10.75 g/cm³ (0.388 lb/in³), worse than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low strength — 14 MPa (2.03 ksi), worse than 85% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
- Low stiffness — 23 GPa (3.34 Msi), worse than 75% of solder & low-melting alloy grades
Sn10Pb90 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Physical3
Sn10Pb90 has a density of 10.75 g/cm³ (0.388 lb/in³), heavier than 86% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. It melts at 268°C (514 °F).
Mechanical9
Sn10Pb90 has a yield strength of 14 MPa (2.03 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 85% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 23 GPa (3.34 Msi).
Thermal6
Sn10Pb90 is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 36 W/m·K (20.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 64% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 29 µm/m·K (16.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Sn10Pb90 conducts electricity at 8.6 % IACS, worse than 61% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (35/100), worse than 94% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Sn10Pb90 takes about 43 MJ of energy and emits 3.1 kg of CO₂ — less than 83% of solder & low-melting alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability7
Sn10Pb90's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability excellent (85/100).
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. Sn10Pb90 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Sn10Pb90
Is Sn10Pb90 easy to machine?
Very soft and toxic, so it is not normally machined; preforms are blanked or sheared, and any cutting or cleanup requires lead-dust protection.
Can Sn10Pb90 be welded?
The alloy is itself a filler and is not fusion welded; soldering temperature is about 330–360 °C, and the wide 268–302 °C freezing range causes pasty-zone cracking and segregation unless cooling is controlled.
Can Sn10Pb90 be formed, bent or molded?
Extrudes and draws to wire, rolls to foil and casts as ingot; room temperature is above its recrystallization temperature, so cold work gives no lasting hardening.
Sn10Pb90 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Snrange specified by J-STD-006 for Sn10Pb90 | 9 – 11 | 10 |
| Sbimpurity limit (low-antimony grade ≤0.05) | ≤ 0.2 | |
| Cu | ≤ 0.08 | |
| Ag | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Bi | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Fe | ≤ 0.02 | |
| As | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Zn | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Al | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Cd | ≤ 0 | |
| Pbbalance, nominal 90% | balance |
What surface finishes work on Sn10Pb90?
Remove all flux residue after soldering, especially halide-activated types; joints are commonly conformal coated. Do not specify for products where lead is restricted without a RoHS exemption.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Solder & Low-Melting Alloy Sn10Pb90 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- Sn10
- GB (China)
- HLSnPb10-90
- JIS
- H10A
How much does Sn10Pb90 cost?
Sn10Pb90 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sn10Pb90 — frequently asked
What is Sn10Pb90 used for?
Sn10Pb90 is typically used for semiconductor die-attach, step-soldering base layer and high-temperature electronic assembly. In short: higher solidus than Sn20Pb80; step-solder base joint; roHS-exempt applications only.
What is the yield strength of Sn10Pb90?
Sn10Pb90 has a typical yield strength of 14 MPa (2.03 ksi) and a tensile strength of 25 MPa (3.63 ksi) — weaker than 85% of solder & low-melting alloy grades.
Is Sn10Pb90 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 82% of solder & low-melting alloy grades). Very soft and toxic, so it is not normally machined; preforms are blanked or sheared, and any cutting or cleanup requires lead-dust protection.
Can Sn10Pb90 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). The alloy is itself a filler and is not fusion welded; soldering temperature is about 330–360 °C, and the wide 268–302 °C freezing range causes pasty-zone cracking and segregation unless cooling is controlled.
What surface finishes work on Sn10Pb90?
Remove all flux residue after soldering, especially halide-activated types; joints are commonly conformal coated. Do not specify for products where lead is restricted without a RoHS exemption.
Can Sn10Pb90 be formed, bent or molded?
Extrudes and draws to wire, rolls to foil and casts as ingot; room temperature is above its recrystallization temperature, so cold work gives no lasting hardening.
What is the maximum service temperature of Sn10Pb90?
Sn10Pb90 is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Sn10Pb90 cost?
Sn10Pb90 is a high-cost solder & low-melting alloy ($$$$), 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
- J-STD-006 Requirements for Electronic Grade Solder Alloys — IPC/JEDEC (2013)
- ASTM B32 Standard Specification for Solder Metal — ASTM International (2020)
- GB/T 3131 (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.6: Welding, Brazing, and Soldering — Soldering section — ASM International (1993)
- NIST Database of Solder Properties (Pb-Sn alloys) — NIST (2002)
- High-Melting-Point (HMP) Pb-Sn solder alloy data — 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.