Urgently Need Help With Solder Fluxes & Activators

Most manufacturers of flux cored solders will keep their flux formulas secret and I haven't yet seen anyone provide details of what is contained in them. One only has to look at the flux data sheets from Kester and you will see what I mean.

I consider one of the best soldering alloys for electrical and electronic applications is MAGNA 87EC which contains an activated flux core which works extremely well. I have used this solder for electronics work from around 1987 and I can attest to its effectiveness. It is not cheap though, nor does it come in smaller than 1.1mm gauge from memory. The last 1lb roll I bought back in 1993 cost me AUD90.00 then (USD66.00 currently). MAGNA ALLOYS

Flux cores

Many of today's solders are manufactured with an inner core of flux. The reason is, of course, to supply the solder surrounding it with the correct amount of anchor material at the correct time during soldering. The flux must act as the anchor to the metal for the solder alloy. It must clean the metal surface, penetrate it, de-corrode it and have a perfect affinity with the solder, and work piece, simultaneously. Only then can the bond take equal root between the two sections being joined.

An example of this fact is Magna 87EC. The flux core is not a simple water white resin as is common to the ordinary solder family; the special Magna 87EC Flux consists of Sylvic acid which is a heteroannulas diene.

At a given, preplanned temperature, the sylvic acid rearranges itself into a neoabietic acid. It also contains a by-product of pimatic acid which is a homannular diene. It is easily isomerized to abutic acid. Also, a different form of acid (also pimatic) is also used in the Magna 87EC Flux Core. This is a non conjugal diene which is stable to acid.

Several activators are added to promote energy when heated. The residue of the Magna 87EC Flux Core is a hard, transparent film of excellent electrical insulation. It will not absorb water. Then, as slightly more heat is applied, it undergoes disproportionation to a pyroabietic acid mixture, both of which are chemically inert. Thus, it begins its function as a strong acid that has powerful cleaning capacity...and ends as a virtually non-corrosive residue.

It is a fact that a properly made Magna solder joint between two pieces of steel has the full tensile strength of the steel itself. The only problem is fear itself - maintenance engineers do not trust soldered joints - because their only experience has been with ordinary production type solders which often do fail. Once they realize that there is a vast difference between Magna Maintenance Solder Alloys and ordinary solders, they will have the confidence to perform repairs at low heat they would never have attempted before.

Hi Ross,

Thanks a bunch.

Yes it does look like the flux formulas are secret but surely there must be some research in the public domain. (which I can't seem to find)

I was hoping I could atlest find generic flux and activator info in the public domain even if I didn't get the exact formula which could be their trade secret.

Anyways thanks for your help, Bob

Ross Herbert wrote: