Tin coated electrical connector
US5780172A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/12944
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electrical conductor has a copper base substrate coated with a tin base coating layer. To inhibit the diffusion of copper from the substrate into the coating layer and the consequential formation of a brittle tin/copper intermetallic, a barrier layer is interposed between the substrate and the coating layer. This barrier layer contains from 10% to 70%, by weight, of nickel and is preferably predominantly comprised of copper. In one embodiment, an intermetallic layer selected from the group (Cu--Ni).sub.3 Sn, (Cu--Ni).sub.6 Sn.sub.5, Cu.sub.3 Sn, Cu.sub.6 Sn.sub.5 is disposed between the barrier layer and the tin base coating layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.