wrote:

MJC wrote:

I thought that gold was tricky to solder precisely because it did tend
to dissolve unless the solder was already loaded with gold.

Not really. Gold is also somewhat lubricious - and things flow well on it. BUT, they do not STICK well to it. Solder will flow and appear to be nice and tight, until it peels off like cheap tape. But it takes more than heat to cause gold to dissolve.


** In fact gold dissolves readily in tin and hence solder.

Normally, gold plated parts have a nickel underlay which does not readily dissolve to form an alloy with solder. This results in joints that have poor mechanical strength.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_p...ldering_issues

http://www.indium.com/blog/intermeta...-soldering.php


..... Phil