At Indium Corporation, we believe that materials science changes the world. In recognition of the notable material behind our name, we will release monthly installments of the Elements of Indium Seriesan educational program to raise awareness of the unique applications, abundance, and interesting properties of the 49th element.
Plating with indium metal can be utilized for a number of diverse applications that take advantage of its unique physical and chemical properties.
Indium plating was first developed by Indium Corporation in the 1930s for depositing a thin coating of indium onto aircraft engine bearings. This reduced friction and wear by increasing the lubricity and corrosion resistance of the bearings, greatly improving the flight range.
Since then, applications increased to include plating for wafers, fuel pumps, jewelry, and seals (for those that come into contact with oxidizing gasses), as well as for battery parts, decorative finishes, and electrical interconnects. These applications take advantage of indium’s unique properties, such as:
- Extreme ductility and softness, even down to temperatures approaching absolute zero
- Cold welding properties
- Resistance to alkaline corrosion
- Ability to rapidly diffuse into certain metals, such as copper, silver, and lead for hardening
- Low melting temperature (157C)
- Low vapor pressure
- Low oxide formation
- Ability to wet to glass, certain metallic oxides, and glazed ceramics
- Ability to alloy with tin, bismuth, silver, and lead metallic layers at low temperatures to form new alloys with different physical properties
Metallic parts can be coated with indium using a solder reflow process. In those instances where a chemical flux cannot be used, or temperature limitations of the parts prohibit reflow coating, electroplating can be an alternate method to deposit indium. For high-volume indium plating applications, the indium sulfamate plating bath is a proven approach as one of the easiest and most stable baths to operate and maintain.
Indium Corporation is a global leader for indium metal and associated technologies. For more information on indium metal, visit www.indium.com/indium49.
인디엄 코퍼레이션 소개
Indium Corporation은 전 세계 전자, 반도체, 박막 및 열 관리 시장에 최고의 소재 정제, 제련, 제조 및 공급업체입니다. 주요 제품으로는 솔더 및 플럭스, 브레이즈, 열 인터페이스 재료, 스퍼터링 타겟, 인듐, 갈륨, 게르마늄, 주석 금속 및 무기 화합물, 나노포일 등이 있습니다. 1934년에 설립된 이 회사는 중국, 독일, 인도, 말레이시아, 싱가포르, 한국, 영국, 미국에 글로벌 기술 지원 및 공장을 보유하고 있습니다.
For more information about Indium Corporation, visit www.indium.com or email Jingya Huang. You can also follow our experts, From One Engineer To Another (#FOETA), at www.linkedin.com/company/indium-corporation/ or @IndiumCorp.
