Indium is a metal similar to tin in many ways, such as color hue, corrosion resistance, and spreadability, and its melting point is as low as 157°C. As it is also the softest among metals, it is used to improve the lubricity of bearings and solderability of electronic parts.
| Type of plating | Features (characteristic value) |
|---|---|
| Indium plating | - Excels in lubricity because it is softer than lead plating. - Has good alkali resistance though it is sensitive to inorganic acids. - Improves glass-metal bonding force due to high conformability to glass. |
| Indium alloy plating | - The melting point of 52 indium-48 tin alloy is 117°C, while that of tin is 232°C. - Indium-tin alloy plating or indium-lead alloy plating is obtained by heat treatment after indium plating on tin or lead by using the low melting point. |
Hardness comparison between plating films
and metallurgically prepared metals
Types of plating
Materials & uses
