Purpose: This study aims to investigate the structural, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of tin–silver–nickel (Sn-Ag-Ni) melt-spun solder alloys. So, it aims to improve the mechanical properties of the eutectic tin–silver (Sn-Ag) such as tensile strength, plasticity and creep resistance by adding different concentrations of Ni content.Design/methodology/approach: Ternary melt-spun Sn-Ag-Ni alloys were investigated using x-ray diffractions, scanning electron microscope, dynamic resonance technique (DRT), Instron machine, Vickers hardness tester and differential scanning calorimetry.Findings: The results revealed that the Ni additions 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, 3 and 5 Wt.% to the eutectic Sn-Ag melt-spun solder were added. The “0.3wt.%” of Ni was significantly improved its mechanical properties to efficiently serve under high strain rate applications. Moreover, the uniform distribution of Ag₃Sn intermetallic compound with “0.3wt.%” of Ni offered the potential benefits, such as high strength, good plasticity consequently and good mechanical performance through a lack of dislocations and microvoids. The tensile results showed improvement in 17.63 per cent tensile strength (26 MPa), 21 per cent toughness (1001 J/m³), 22.83 per cent critical shear stress (25.074 MPa) and 11 per cent thermal diffusivity (2.065 × 10⁻⁷m²/s) when compared with the tensile strength (21.416 MPa), toughness (790 J/m³), critical shear stress (19.348 MPa) and thermal diffusivity (1.487 × 10⁻⁷m²/s) of the eutectic Sn-Ag. Slight increments have been shown for the melting temperature of Sn_96.2-Ag_3.5-Ni_0.3(222.62°C) and electrical resistivity to (1.612 × 10⁻⁷Ω.m). It can be said that the eutectic Sn-Ag solder alloy has been mechanically improved with “0.3wt.%” of Ni to become a suitable alloy for high strain rate applications. The dislocation movement deformation mechanism (n= 4.5) without Ni additions changed to grain boundary sliding deformation mechanism (n= 3.5) with Ni additions. On the other hand, the elastic modulus, creep rate and strain rate sensitivity with “0.3wt.%” of Ni have been decreased. The optimum Ni-doped concentration is “0.7wt.%” of Ni in terms of refined microstructure, electrical resistivity, Young’s Modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, thermal diffusivity, maximum shear stress, tensile strength and average creep rate.Originality/value: This study provides nickel effects on the structural of the eutectic Sn-Ag rapidly solidified by melt-spinning technique. In this paper, the authors have compared the elastic modulus of the melt-spun compositions which has been resulted from the tensile strength tester with these results from the DRT for the first time to best of the authors’ knowledge. This paper presents new improvements in mechanical and electrical performance.

This study investigates the structural, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of B-1 JINHU, EDSYN SAC5250, and S.S.M-1 commercial materials, which have been manufactured at China, Malaysia, and Germany, respectively. The commercial materials have been compared with the measurements of Sn–Ag–Cu (SAC) melt-spun materials that are only indicative of what can be expected for the solder application, where the solder will have quite different properties from the melt-spun materials due to the effects of melt-spinning technique. Adding Cu to the eutectic Sn–Ag melt-spun material with 0.3 wt.% significantly improves its electrical and mechanical properties to serve efficiently under high strain rate applications. The formed Cu3Sn Intermetallic compound (IMC) offers potential benefits, like high strength, good plasticity, consequently, high performance through a lack of dislocations and microvoids. The results showed that adding 0.3 wt.% of Cu has improved the creep resistance and delayed the fracture point, comparing with other additions and commercial solders. The tensile results showed some improvements in 39.3% tensile strength (25.419 MPa), 376% toughness (7737.220 J/m3), 254% electrical resistivity (1.849 × 10−7 Ω · m) and 255% thermal conductivity (39.911 w · m−1 · k−1) when compared with the tensile strength (18.24 MPa), toughness (1625.340 J/m3), electrical resistivity (6.56 × 10−7 Ω · m) and thermal conductivity (11.250 w · m−1 · k−1) of EDSYN SAC5250 material. On the other hand, the Sn93.5–Ag3.5–Cu3 melt-spun solder works well under the harsh thermal environments such as the circuits located under the automobiles’ hood and aerospace applications. Thus, it can be concluded that the melt-spinning technique can produce SAC melt-spun materials that can outperform the B-1 JINHU, EDSYN SAC5250 and S.S.M-1 materials mechanically, thermally and electrically.