Patented Oct.

18, 1932 1882,734

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

CILIFFORD L. BARBER, OF CHICAGO, LOS, ASSIGNOR TO KESTEB soLDEB COMPANY.,
of CHICAGO, ILLINors, A CoBroRATION OF ILLINors
-. ODERSG

No Drawing. Application aled December 16, 1989. Serial ro. 414,50s.

This invention relates to a soldering flux Other and further important objects of this
for use either in cored solders or as an ex invention will become apparent from the foll
lowing description and appended claims.
ternal flux.
An ideal soldering flux should be fast and I have found that organic ammonium de
efficient as a fluxing agent on a wide variety rivatives possess desirable properties for use
of metals and the residue of such ideal flux This as soldering fluxes either alone or in mixtures.
after soldering should not be corrosive, elec urea and field includes organic amides, such as
trically conductive, hygroscopic or unsight matic amines acetamide,' and aliphatic and aro.
ly, or harmful to the operator. In actual amples of suitable or derivatives thereof. Ex
aliphatic amines or deriv
10 practice it has been found impossible to ob
tain a flux possessing all of these properties atives thereofare methylaminehydrochloride
but the present invention relates to a flux and betaine hydrochloride and of aromatic
that more nearly approaches the ideal than amines, aniline hydrochloride.
heretofore known fluxes. , A preferred embodiment of my invention is
5 Of the two general types of fluxes, namely illustrated by the following composition:
rosin and inorganic chloride fluxes, the rosin Per cent
flux, while fast and efficient on a few metals, Urea--------------------------------- 78
such, for instance, as copper, does not possess Aniline hydrochloride----------------- 12
the general fluxing activity sufficient to en Water-------------------------------- 10
20 able it to cope with certain other metals, such
as nickel and zinc. The inorganic chloride able Aflux of this compositionisespecially suit O
fluxes, on the other hand, are corrosive for use in connection with hollow, or
toward metals and their residues are elec cored, wire solder, the water bein present
trically conductive, thus aiding and promot for facilitating the filling of the solder tube.
It will be specifically understood, however,
ingelectrical leakage. The natural corrosive that the precentage of these ingredients may
and conductive tendency of these residues is be varied
still further augmented by the inherent hy water maythrough even
a wide range and that the
be omitted. It will also
groscopic character of the fluxes themeselves,
since the absorption of water liberates free be understood that the flux may be used
30 hydrochloric acid by hydrolysis and there either in cored solder or as an external flux.
fure leads to further destructive action. Fur Urea is itself a fluxing agent and may be
thermore, such residues are unsightly and used alone but preferably aniline hydro
generally disagreeable to handle. chloride is mixed with the urea to speed the
It is therefore an important object of this fluxing action. Both urea and aniline hy
3. invention to provide a soldering flux of novel drochloride are normally solid but melt un
composition having especially desirable der ordinary soldering temperatures, which
properties. may be considered as being from 375° F. to
It is a further important object of this in 600° F. Furthermore, urea and aniline hy-.
vention to provide a soldering flux of a na drochloride possess just the proper tendency
40 ture that is equally as fast and efficient as any
to completely
of the inorganic chloride fluxes and yet that that under the dissociate and/or volatilize such
is non-hygroscopic and that possesses just the tion very little heat of the soldering opera
residue is left on the work
proper stability or tendency for thermal de
composition that under the heat of the solder after soldering. In addition, neither urea
ing operation itself, the flux residue is decom nor aniline hydrochloride is hygroscopic so OS"
posed, volatilized, carbonized or otherwise that the slight amount of residue which might
converted into volatile material so that no remain after soldering may be easily re
unused residue may be left to corrode the moved. In fact, such residue will usually
metal or promote electrical leakage, harm dry up and blow away. Electrical leakageis,
50 operators, or leave an unsightly appearance. therefore, reduced to a minimum by virtue
 1,889,784
7. A soldering flux comprising betaine hy
of the fact that practically no residue is left drochloride.
to complete an electrical circuit.
Other organic amine hydrochlorides, such 8. A soldering flux comprising a mixture
as methylamine hydrochloride, betaine hy of urea and betaine SE
drochloride or the like may be used in place 9. A soldering flux comprising aniline hy 70
ofaniline hydrochloride in the preferred com drochloride.
position or such substances may be used by 10. In the art of soldering, the step of
cleaning the metal surfaces and facilitating
themselves as fluxes. The effectiveness of
these organic amines and their derivatives the flow of solder thereon which comprises
O may be due to the fact that structurally they applying aniline hydrochloride thereto and 75
resemble ammonium chloride, methylamine Ellising hydrogen chloride therefrom by
hydrochloride and aniline hydrochloride be eat.
ing in effect merely the alkyl and aryl substi 11. A soldering flux comprising a mixture
tution products, respectively of ammonium of an organic amide and an amine hydro
5 chloride. I have found that these organic chloride, the ingredients of said mixture be 80
ammonium derivatives actually possess a flux ing normally solid and melting below solder
ing temperature.
ing powerfully equal to that of zinc or am. In testimony whereof I have hereunto
monium chloride. All of the specific com subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook
pounds mentioned are fast and efficient fluxes County, Illinois.
20 on a wide variety of metals but in other re
E. some of them are more satisfactory CLIFFORD L, BARBER.
than others. For instance, urea and aniline
hydrochloride have the advantage of being
relatively cheap. 90
The advantages of fluxes of my invention
are that they are equally as fast and efficient
as any of the inorganic chloride fluxes, and
faster and more efficient than any noncorro
sive flux of which I have knowledge. Fur
so thermore, my fluxes are harmless to workers.
and do not produce sores, burns, or the like,
as the astringent inorganic chloride fluxes.
do, nor do my fluxes cause electrical leakage
to any appreciable extent due to the fact that 3)
they are largely volatilized or converted into
volatile substances during the soldering op
eration and are not hygroscopic. In the case
of inorganic fluxes, moisture or water pres
ent results in hydrolysis with the liberation
40 of free hydrochloric acid and it is this that
causes the destructive corrosion and electrical
leakage. In the organic fluxes of my inven
tion, the fact that they are not hygroscopic
and are furthermore not readily hydrolyzed,
4.
reduces the possibility of corrosion from this
CSS,
I am aware that numerous details of the
process may be varied through a wide range
without departing from the principles of this
invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose
limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise
than necessitated by the prior art.
I claim as my invention:
1. A soldering flux comprising urea and
an hydrochloride of an organic amine. .
2. A soldering flux comprising urea and
aniline hydrochloride.
8. A soldering flux comprising approxi
mately 78% urea, 12% aniline hydrochloride T.
and 10% water.
4. A soldering flux comprising acetamide.
5. A soldering flux comprising methyl
amine hydrochloride.
6. A soldering flux comprising a mixture 1)
of acetamide and methylamine hydrochloride.