The present disclosure relates to a coating of a press hardened steel strip, the coating providing cathodic protection. The coating of the post-press hardened steel strip comprises zinc, aluminum, and at least one element selected from manganese (Mn) and/or antimony (Sb).

Provided are a lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy, a solder ball, and a solder joint, which have improved shear strength obtained by grain minuteness at a bonded interface and can suppress fusion failure. The lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %, 0.1 to 4.5% of Ag, 0.20 to 0.85% of Cu, 0.005 to 0.090% of Ni, and 0.0005 to 0.0090% of Ge with the balance being Sn, and the alloy composition satisfies the following relations (1) and (2): 0.006≤(Ag+Cu+Ni)×Ge<0.023 (1), (Sn/Cu)×(Ni×Ge)/(Ni +Ge)<0.89 (2). Ag, Cu, Ni, Ge, and Sn in the relations (1) and (2) each represent the contents (mass %) in the alloy composition.

Provided are a lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy, a solder ball, and a solder joint, which have improved shear strength obtained by grain minuteness at a bonded interface and can suppress fusion failure. The lead-free and antimony-free solder alloy has an alloy composition consisting of, by mass %, 0.1 to 4.5% of Ag, 0.20 to 0.85% of Cu, 0.005 to 0.090% of Ni, and 0.0005 to 0.0090% of Ge with the balance being Sn, and the alloy composition satisfies the following relations (1) and (2): 0.006≤(Ag+Cu+Ni)×Ge<0.023 (1), (Sn/Cu)×(Ni×Ge)/(Ni +Ge)<0.89 (2). Ag, Cu, Ni, Ge, and Sn in the relations (1) and (2) each represent the contents (mass %) in the alloy composition.

Provided is a solder composition containing Sn. The composition comprises: 1.0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less of Cu; 0.1% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of Ni; and more than 0.01% by mass and 0.5% by mass or less of Ge.

Provided is a solder composition containing Sn. The composition comprises: 1.0% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less of Cu; 0.1% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of Ni; and more than 0.01% by mass and 0.5% by mass or less of Ge.

A solder joint, for bonding an electrode of a circuit board to an electrode of an electronic component, that includes: an Sn—Bi-based solder deposited on the electrode of the circuit board; and a solder alloy deposited on the electrode of the electronic component. The Sn—Bi-based solder alloy has a lower melting point than the solder alloy deposited on the electrode of the electronic component. Fine Bi phases in the solder joint each have an area of less than or equal to 0.5 μm.sup.2. Coarse Bi phases in the solder joint each have an area of greater than 0.5 μm.sup.2 and less than or equal to 5 μm.sup.2. A proportion of the fine Bi phases among the fine Bi phases and the coarse Bi phases is greater than or equal to 60%.

A solder joint, for bonding an electrode of a circuit board to an electrode of an electronic component, that includes: an Sn—Bi-based solder deposited on the electrode of the circuit board; and a solder alloy deposited on the electrode of the electronic component. The Sn—Bi-based solder alloy has a lower melting point than the solder alloy deposited on the electrode of the electronic component. Fine Bi phases in the solder joint each have an area of less than or equal to 0.5 μm.sup.2. Coarse Bi phases in the solder joint each have an area of greater than 0.5 μm.sup.2 and less than or equal to 5 μm.sup.2. A proportion of the fine Bi phases among the fine Bi phases and the coarse Bi phases is greater than or equal to 60%.

Provided is a preform solder including a first metal containing Sn and a second metal formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe. Alternatively, provided is a preform solder (1) having a metal structure including a first phase (10) that is a continuous phase and a second phase (20) dispersed in the first phase (10), the first phase (10) contains Sn, the second phase (20) is formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe, and a grain boundary (15) of a metal is present in the first phase (10).

Provided is a preform solder including a first metal containing Sn and a second metal formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe. Alternatively, provided is a preform solder (1) having a metal structure including a first phase (10) that is a continuous phase and a second phase (20) dispersed in the first phase (10), the first phase (10) contains Sn, the second phase (20) is formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe, and a grain boundary (15) of a metal is present in the first phase (10).

Provided is a preform solder including a first metal containing Sn and a second metal formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe. Alternatively, provided is a preform solder (1) having a metal structure including a first phase (10) that is a continuous phase and a second phase (20) dispersed in the first phase (10), the first phase (10) contains Sn, the second phase (20) is formed of an alloy containing Ni and Fe, and a grain boundary (15) of a metal is present in the first phase (10).