Lead-free solder composites, fabrications that combine solder matrices and ceramic reinforcement, for example, SiC, TiO2, Al2O3, and Si3N4, have been progressively changed to be used for important structural electronic packaging for commercial industrial applications. They show superior mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties [1, 2]. The distribution of fine particles is either completed inside the solid or liquid state. The solid-state method is a powder metallurgy method that contains a mixed powder of each essential ingredient. However, the powder metallurgy (PM) method is the most interesting for several reasons. First, powder metallurgy provides morphological phase control. Second, the lower temperatures used in the process mean that the kinetics of the interface is precisely controlled. The regular PM method for making lead-free solder composites include (1) Mixing, where the lead-free solder is mixed with reinforcement particles; (2) compaction by die pressing, and (3) sintering.
A more uniform distribution of ceramic particles can be found if composites are made with powder metallurgy rather than stir casting method [3]. Figure 1a shows a schematic diagram of the reinforcement and matrix powder mixture and Fig. 1b shows the homogeneous distribution. It can be a favorable technique for producing various lead-free alloys were such where such problems often occur. But pure lead-free solder powder has a high propensity to agglomerate and stick with the milling jar and balls during milling [4–5]. Such an agglomeration and sticking impact make it very hard to control configuration. However, the problem of agglomeration and adhesion of the powder can be overcome by using process control agents (PCA), such as stearic acid and ethanol [5–6].
The success of lead-free solder alloys is due to the formation of intermetallic compounds (IMC), such as Cu6Sn5 and Ag3Sn in the β-Sn matrix, which provides mechanical strength. Cu6Sn5 IMC is brittle however Ag3Sn is ductile [7]. Lehman et al. [8] noted that the mechanical reliability of such alloys depends on the relative orientation and microstructure formation of such IMCs in the β-Sn matrix. El-Daly et al. [9] were reported that hard SiC and improved IMCs can prevent dislocation and gives a strong dispersion in lead-free solder composites. El-Daly et al. [10] and Tsao [11] were reported that the notable effect of SiC and TiO2 particles on Pb-free solder alloys is to refine the IMCs and the microstructure.
Particle Size and shape are critical quality and have a huge impact on the overall performance of downstream processes (such as powder treatment) and directly influences the properties of the end products (e.g., uniformity, strength, and stability) [6, 12]. Numerous off-line tools may be used to evaluate the particle size distribution (PSD) of particles produced during a crystallization technique. In-situ apparatus utilization is of specific significance and Image analysis techniques can be used for evaluating size and shape data of particles dispersed in a composite [13].
Digital image processing was used to estimate the size and size distribution of round particles. The computer-based image processing technique is explored as an opportunity to provide solutions for practical measurement, identification, and analysis of particle distribution. Achieving similar results with a guided approach will be slow and meticulous [14]. After the particles were recognized, various methods of categorization were proposed. Chen et al. [15] have utilized wavelets for picture segmentation and the curvature of the items to distinguish circles. Larsen et al. [16] have used line fitting to concentrate needle-like particles from uproarious pictures.
El Arnaout et al. [17] was managed for uneven (irregular) illumination of the image by rejecting or correcting non-focal particles by rolling background subtraction and sliding paraboloid of rotation. Irregular illumination image was occurred due to objects out of focus, blurriness, and noise which was rejected or corrected. Sarkar et al. [18] and Zhou et al. [19] proposed object filtering methods to moderate partially distinguished objects utilizing morphological highlights and they evaluate the estimations utilizing physically clarified particle masks.
The purpose of this investigation is to develop the SiC and SiC(Ni) reinforced Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu lead-free solder based composites using powder metallurgy technique to examine the microstructure, average neighbour’s particle distance and morphological mosaic by the image analysis technique.