Pure Tin Anodes

Lead-free99.9% Grade A Purity Fine Grain Structure Food Contact Safe Custom Length Available

99.9% pure tin cast anodes in open flat and custom length forms. Fine grain structure for excellent plating bath dissolution. Used for tin electroplating of electronics, food packaging, and industrial components.

Solidus

449°F (232°C)

Liquidus

449°F (232°C)

Density

0.264 lbs/in³ (7.3 g/cm³)

Primary Elements

Nominal Composition

Bal, 99.9% Sn

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Product Overview

99.9% Pure Tin Electroplating Anodes are high-purity tin anodes produced with a fine grain structure to maximize surface area and provide excellent dissolution behavior in tin plating baths. The fine grain structure is achieved through controlled casting and processing conditions that prevent the coarse-grained tin structure that can cause uneven dissolution and anode slime formation. Tin electroplating is used across a broad range of applications: electronics and PCB manufacturing (solderability enhancement on component terminations and board surface finish), food packaging (tinplate steel cans where the tin coating provides corrosion protection and is safe for food contact), industrial components (corrosion-resistant coating on steel and copper parts), and decorative applications. Grade A and 99.9% purity ensures freedom from lead and other contaminants critical for food-contact and RoHS-compliant electronics applications. Custom lengths fit non-standard anode holder configurations. Forms: open cast flat anodes and 3″, 4″, and 5″ long anodes.

Available Forms

Open Cast Flat Anodes, 3", 4", 5" Long Anodes

Product Code

7001S

Technical Info

Thermal Properties

Melting Point (Solidus)449°F (232°C)

Melting Point (Liquidus)449°F (232°C)

Physical Properties

Density (imperial)0.264 lbs/in³

Density (metric)7.3 g/cm³

Primary ElementsSn

Lead FreeYes

Key Features

99.9% Grade A PurityFine Grain StructureFood Contact SafeCustom Length Available

Nominal Composition

99.9% Sn
Bal

Frequently Asked Questions

Common technical inquiries regarding Pure Tin Anodes

Coarse-grained tin anodes dissolve preferentially along grain boundaries producing an uneven pitted anode surface that generates tin sludge and particulate in the bath. This particulate can co-deposit with tin on the cathode causing rough nodular deposits and reduced solderability. Fine grain structure produces more uniform anode dissolution across the entire surface minimizing sludge generation and maintaining a cleaner bath. The result is smoother more uniform tin deposits with consistent solderability critical for electronics PCB surface finish applications.

Both applications use 99.9% pure tin anodes but the bath chemistry and deposit specifications differ. Electronics tin plating uses acid sulfate or methylsulfonic acid (MSA) baths and deposits matte or bright tin at 1-10 microns for solderability. Food packaging tinplate deposits very thin tin (0.38-1.1 microns) on continuous steel strip at high speed. The same 99.9% anodes are used because both applications require lead-free food-safe tin. The anode form differs - continuous strip tinning uses large insoluble titanium anodes with tin replenished as stannous sulfate while rack and barrel plating uses consumable tin anodes like these.

Tin pest is an allotropic transformation of white tin (beta-tin the normal metallic form) to gray tin (alpha-tin a brittle semiconductor) that occurs below 56F (13C). The transformation is slow above 32F but accelerates at lower temperatures causing the metal to crumble to a gray powder. Pure tin anodes stored in unheated warehouses in cold climates can be affected particularly at thin cross-sections. The transformation is prevented by keeping anodes above 56F during storage and shipping. Small amounts of bismuth or antimony additions inhibit tin pest but 99.9% pure anodes rely on temperature control for protection.