Today's Indium Mailbag question relates specifically to indium-contained solder paste: "I would like to know if I stored solder paste with 80In/15Pb/5Ag alloy (Indalloy #2 with NC-SMQ80) at less than -65º Celcius, is it still good to use?”
Our product data sheet for NC-SMQ80 states “6 months at storage temperatures of -20° to +5°C.” If the paste is stored below this temperature, you can expect to store the paste for at least 6 months. Especially at this cold temperature, you should always make sure you allow the paste to warm to room temperature naturally before opening the container. Cold solder paste will attract moisture from the air in the form of condensation. With solder paste at this colder temperature, it might take a little longer to warm up. From -65º Celcius, you might want to give a jar or cartridge about 4 hours to warm up to room temperature.