Electronic Solder Question

[publius]

Is it worth collecting the Pb/Sn solder of circuit boards to try to get the precious metals out of the amalgamation?

 

[Geo]

most all older electronics solder before mid 90's and some after have a fair amount of silver and much older earlier than late 70's had alot of silver and some lead.if you dissolve the solder as part of your process depending on the process,(hcl disolution) silver will deposit as a black powder in the bottom of your chamber as the solder dissolves.if your using a nitric based process the silver will be in the solution with the exception of AR where processing CPU's and other IC packages.

 

[publius]

Thanks again Geo.

 

[g_axelsson]

most all older electronics solder before mid 90's and some after have a fair amount of silver and much older earlier than late 70's had alot of silver and some lead.if you dissolve the solder as part of your process depending on the process,(hcl disolution) silver will deposit as a black powder in the bottom of your chamber as the solder dissolves.if your using a nitric based process the silver will be in the solution with the exception of AR where processing CPU's and other IC packages.

How do you know about the silver contents in electronic solder, have you measured it?

As far as I know the amount of silver in solder is low in older electronics, just lead and tin, but with the ROHS directive the amount of silver in solder went up between 2004 and 2006. Later on new formulas of solder without silver were developed so I would guess the level of silver will decline over the coming years.

Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solder#Solder_alloys for more about solder alloys.

Göran

 

[goldsilverpro]

No.