Protection upgraded

SurTec® 821
Bright Acid Tin Process

Properties
 produces bright, compact and high levelled tin deposits
 for plating of parts used in electrical industry, printing industry
and semiconductor technology as well as for special applications
 equal and bright deposits over a wide range of current density,
thus suited for rack and barrel plating
 easy to handle: works in wide ranges of temperature and metal concentration
 good solderability
 fast deposition: 2.5 m within 2 minutes at normal current density
 resistant against spots and finger prints
 IMDS-number: 756885

Application
The process SurTec 821 includes the following products:

 SurTec 820 W Wetting Agent

 SurTec 821 B Make-Up Solution (for make-up preparation)
 SurTec 821 C Maintenance Additive for the maintenance of the bath
 SurTec 820 F Sn Clarifier is the flocculation agent in case of bath turbidity

make-up values:

tin sulfate (SnSO4) 30 g/l

sulfuric acid (96 %) 100 ml/l
SurTec 820 W 10 ml/l
SurTec 821 B 10 ml/l
SurTec 821 C 3 ml/l
SurTec 820 F only if needed

analytical values: tin(II) 16.5 g/l (10 - 23 g/l)

sulfuric acid 190 g/l (180-200 g/l)

make-up: Steps for make-up:

1. Fill the tank with deionised water of about 2/3 of the desired
bath volume.
2. Add the calculated amount of sulfuric acid slowly, stirring
3. steadily (caution: solution becomes hot!).
4. Let the electrolyte cool down to 25°C.
5. Add and dissolve tin sulfate.
6. Add SurTec 820 W Wetting Agent, pre-mixed 1:1 with
deionised water, and stir well.

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 7. Add SurTec 821 B Make-Up Solution, pre-mixed 1:1 with
deionised water, and stir well.
8. Fill up nearly to the final volume with deionised water.
9. Add SurTec 821 C Maintenance Additive, pre-mixed 1:1
with deionised water.
10. Fill up to the final volume and stir well.
11. Start the continuous filtration.

temperature: 21°C (15-22°C)

best brightness will be achieved below 22°C

cathodic
current density: 1.5 A/dm2 (0.1-3 A/dm2) rack
1.5 A/dm2 (0.5-3 A/dm2) barrel

anodic
current density: 1 A/dm2 (0.1-3 A/dm2)

ratio
anode / cathode: 1:1 to 2:1

current efficiency: about 90 %

deposition rate: 1.25 µm/min at 1.5 A/dm2

anodes: electrolytic tin (99.9 % tin at least), anode bags are not necessary
(if desired: out of PP, PVC)

agitation: rack agitation (approx. 1-8 m/min)

tank material: out of acid-resistant material (PVC, PE, PP...)

filtration: continuously with PP or PVC cartridge

cooling: if necessary, preferably out of PTFE coated material

exhaust: required for worker’s protection

hints: Best brightness in the low current density is reached at low temperature
(15-22°C) and with low tin content (8-10 g/l).

The rectifier must have sufficient capacity (approx. up to 6 V)

and a ripple of max. 5 %.

Brass parts should be shortly plated with (acid) copper or with nickel,
in order to prevent the dissolution of zinc.

Additions of formaldehyde and chloride contaminations have to be

avoided.

Technical Specification
(at 20°C) Appearance Density (g/ml) pH-value (conc.)

SurTec 820 W liquid, colourless, clear 1.013 (1.00-1.03) 5.3 (3.0-7.5)

SurTec 821 B liquid, colourless, clear 1.007 (1.00-1.01) 2.3 (1.9-2.7)
SurTec 821 C liquid, colourless to 1.017 (1.00-1.04) 5.4 (5.0-6.0)
amber coloured, clear
SurTec 820 F liquid, colourless, 0.996 (0.99-1.01) 6.0 (4.5-8.5)
clear to slightly turbid

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Maintenance and Analysis
Analyse and adjust the content of tin(II) and sulfuric acid frequently. Keep the tin content
constant by working with the correct ratio of anode to cathode.

SurTec 820 W Wetting Agent and SurTec 821 B Make-Up Solution are only required for a new bath
make-up, for all further additions only use SurTec 821 C Maintenance Additive. In order to reach
a most equal deposition, add SurTec 821 C in 3 portions distributed over the day (or with
continuous addition systems).

SurTec 820 F Sn Clarifier is the flocculation agent used to clarify the bath in case of turbidity
(also caused by Sn(IV)). The additions range within 1 and 10 %vol, depending on the degree of
contamination in the bath. Subsequently the bath must be filtered or decanted. The required
amount of SurTec 820 F should be determined by a pre-trial in laboratory scale. Due to the bad
solubility of the flocculation agent and accordingly to the low concentration of SurTec 820 F,
additions up to 10 %vol may be required.

Sample Preparation

Take a sample at a homogeneously mixed position. If the sample is turbid, let the turbidity settle
down and decant or filter the solution.

Tin(II) – Analysis by Titration

reagents: 0.1 N iodine solution

(all reagents in hydrochloric acid (½ conc.)
p.a. quality) 0.1 N sodium thiosulfate solution
marmoreal grit

procedure: Double determination:

1. Fill 100 ml deionised water into a 250 ml beaker.

2. Acidify with 30 ml half conc. hydrochloric acid.
3. Add a spatula tip of marmoreal grit and wait, until the
gas emission has decreased.
4. Add exactly 30 ml iodine solution.
5. Add 10 ml bath sample. (Tin(II) oxidizes in iodine solution
immediately to tin(IV) and precipitates.)
6. Cover the beaker with a watch glass and wait until the
gas emission has stopped.
7. Wash the watch glass and the beaker with deionised water.
8. Titrate back the unused iodine with 0.1 N sodium thiosulfate.

calculation: (30 - consumption in ml) · 0.5935 = g/l tin(II) = A (in g/l)

remarks: The emission of CO2 takes the dissolved oxygen out of the water; the
water surface becomes an oxygen free area. By addition of the bath
sample into the iodine solution the undesired oxidation of tin(II) by
oxygen is minimized.
Too much marmoreal grit provokes a too strong neutralization of the
acid, which is responsible for the redox reaction. To heavy gas emission
will lead to substance loss by fume.
At tin concentrations > 15 g/l, take only half of the volume of the bath
sample for analysis and duplicate the result.

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Free Sulfuric Acid – Analysis by Titration

reagents: 1 N sodium hydroxide solution

indicator: thymolphthalein (0.1 % in alcoholic solution)

procedure: 1. Pipette 10 ml bath sample into a 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask.

2. Dilute to approx. 100 ml with deionised water.
3. Add 3 drops of indicator solution.
4. Titrate with 1 N sodium hydroxide solution until the sample
turns to blue.

calculation: consumption 1 N NaOH = B (ml)

tin(II) concentration = A (g/l)
(B · 4.9) - (A · 0.826) = g/l free sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

Consumption and Stock Keeping

The consumption depends heavily on the drag-out. To determine the exact amounts
of drag-out, see SurTec Technical Letter 11.

The following value per 10,000 Ah can be taken as estimated average consumption:

SurTec 821 C 3l

In order to prevent delays in the production process, per 1,000 l bath the following
amounts should be kept in stock:

SurTec 820 W 25 kg
SurTec 821 B 25 kg
SurTec 821 C 100 kg
SurTec 820 F 50 kg

Product Safety and Ecology

Classification and designation are noted in the Material Safety Data Sheets (according to the
European legislation).The safety instructions and the instructions for environmental protection
have to be followed in order to avoid hazards for people and environment. Please consider the
explicit details in our Material Safety Data Sheets.

Warranty
We are responsible for our products in the context of the valid legal regulations. The warranty
exclusively accesses for the delivered state of a product. Warranties and claims for damages
after the subsequent treatment of our products do not exist. For details please consider our
general terms and conditions.

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Further Information and Contact
If you have any questions concerning the process, please contact your local technical
department.

For further information and contact details please visit our homepage:
http://www.SurTec.com

4 February 2015/DK, SV

Trouble Shooting (1)

problem possible cause remedy

burnings, rough or matt a) too low content of tin sulfate analyse and adjust the values
depositions or of sulfuric acid

b) too low content of SurTec 820 W and test addition of this additives in the
SurTec 821 B Hull cell
deposition is matt or a) too low content of SurTec 820 W and test addition of this additives in the
with stripes in the hcd SurTec 821 B Hull cell
b) too low content of tin sulfate and/or analyse the values; if dilution of the
of sulfuric acid bath is necessary, check all
additives in the Hull cell
c) current density is too high lower the current density
black or brown stripes a) content of brightener is too high work out selectively at 2-3 A/dm2;
in the hcd dilute the bath if necessary
and bad throwing power
b) too low content of SurTec 820 W and test addition of this additives in the
in the lcd
SurTec 821 B Hull cell
c) metal contamination (Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn) stop the input of the impurities and
work out at middle to high current
densities
pitting a) content of brightener is too high work out selectively at 2-3 A/dm2;
dilute the bath if necessary
b) the acid of the pretreatment is too check pretreatment and rinsing
strong or too weak or the rinsing is
ineffective
c) Sn(IV) content is too high add SurTec 820 F to precipitate
Sn(IV)
d) metal contamination (Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn) stop the input of the impurities and
work out at middle to high current
densities
e) wrong ratio tin sulfate to sulfuric acid analyse and adjust the values
f) bath temperature is too low increase the temperature slowly
g) particles are build-in check the filtration
h) holes in the basic material check the source
i) air injection into the bath evacuate the air from the filter
pump

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Trouble Shooting (2)
matt deposition a) too low content of SurTec 820 W and test addition of this additives in the
in the Icd SurTec 821 B Hull cell
b) too low content of SurTec 821 C test addition of this additives in the
Hull cell
c) contamination with heavy metals work out selectively at 0.5-1 A/dm2
d) too low content of tin sulfate and/or analyse and adjust the values
sulfuric acid
e) contamination with chloride stop the coming in of chloride; work
out selectively; if also heavy metals
are inside the bath, first add 0.6
ml/l hydrogen peroxide, then work
out

f) current density is too low increase the current density

g) anode surface is too small enlarge the anode surface
h) too high temperature cool down the electrolyte
i) insufficient pretreatment check the pretreatment
bad throwing power a) too low content of sulfuric acid or too analyse and adjust the values
high content of tin sulfate
b) too low content of SurTec 820 W and test addition of this additives in the
SurTec 821 B Hull cell
c) current density is too low increase the current density
d) the distance of anode and cathode correct the distance
is too large
e) irregular agitation check the agitation
spots in the deposit insufficient rinsing after tin plating check the rinsing quality
bad solderability a) content of brightener is too high work out selectively at 2-3 A/dm2;
dilute the bath if necessary
b) contamination with chloride and/or stop the coming in of chloride; work
metals out selectively;
if heavy metals are inside the bath,
too, first add 0.6 ml/l hydrogen
peroxide, then work out
c) rinsing before and after the tin bath are check the rinsing
insufficient
d) faults in the tin deposition are coming evtl. copper plating prior to the tin
from the basic material process
e) too low layer thickness control the layer thickness:
2.5-5 m is minimum
f) temperature of the soldering is too low check the soldering temperature
polarisation of the a) insoluble metals in the bath in high check the filtration
anodes concentration
b) tin sulfate or sulfuric acid have check the quality
insufficient quality
c) anode bags are plugged clean the anode bags
d) anode surface is too small enlarge the anode surface

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