The technical, social, and legal outlook for lead-free solders

Successfully implementing a transition from tin-lead to lead-free solders requires surmounting technical difficulties, but more is required to achieve their widespread use. Numerous social and political pressures must be taken into account. In addition, the number of patents making lead-free solder compositions proprietary has been increasing rapidly since the mid-1990s. As the amount of intellectual property rises, so too does the complexity and coverage of claims. This paper presents an overview of the technical status and remaining issues regarding lead-free solders, current socio-political trends, and existing patents, including which compositions are protected and how infringement on lead-free intellectual property rights may be difficult to avoid.