Protection against lead-free solder in wave-soldering by Ti/TiC coatings prepared by filtered cathodic arc deposition

Lead-free solder is increasingly used in the wave soldering but corrosion of the stainless steel holders frequently occurs and produces deleterious effects. To enhance the service life, a Ti/TiC coating is deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) on the stainless steel holders. The morphology, structure, composition, microhardness, wear resistance, electron chemical corrosion, and wetting properties against solder are investigated. The results show that not only good frictional properties and corrosion resistance are achieved by the Ti/TiC coatings, but also good tin repelling and hydrophobic characteristics are observed. The Ti/TiC coating provides excellent protection against corrosion of lead-free solder in wave soldering.