The gold wire of LED lamp beads mainly refers to the wire material used to connect the chip surface electrode and the bracket during the LED packaging process.
Although strictly speaking, gold wire does not refer to a specific type, but refers to a wire made of gold material (usually with a purity of more than 99.99%), in actual applications, there may be other materials with similar functions, such as alloy wire, silver wire, etc., depending on specific needs and cost considerations.
However, in order to answer the question "What are the gold wires of LED lamp beads?" and describe their differences, we can focus mainly on the gold wire itself and its comparison with alternative materials such as alloy wire and silver wire.
Gold wire of LED lamp beads
Definition and characteristics:
* The gold wire of LED lamp beads is made of materials with a gold purity of more than 99.99%, and contains trace elements such as Ag/Cu/Si/Ca/Mg to improve its physical and chemical properties.
* Gold wire has the advantages of high conductivity, corrosion resistance, good toughness, and excellent chemical stability. It is a high-end wire material commonly used in LED packaging.
Alternative materials and their differences from gold wire
Alloy wire
Definition: Alloy wire (also known as silver alloy wire) is a product that replaces traditional gold wire in the LED industry. Its main component is single crystal silver, generally 90%-99%, and is doped with palladium and other trace elements to maintain IMC stability.
Differences:
+ Cost: Alloy wire is relatively cheap, cheaper than gold wire, but more expensive than copper wire.
+ Performance: Alloy wire has good weldability when welded to silver-plated brackets, but its application on old-fashioned wire welding equipment may be immature or require nitrogen protection.
+ Stability: Alloy wire has a certain degree of oxidation, which is a common disadvantage with copper wire, but its chemical stability is poorer than that of gold wire.
Silver wire
Definition: Silver wire is made of silver material with a purity of more than 99.99%, and also contains other trace elements.
Differences:
+ Cost: Silver wire is cheaper than gold wire, but higher than copper wire.
+ Performance: Silver wire pulling force is not as strong as gold wire, but the light decay time is better because silver does not absorb light. Silver wire has a long storage period and does not need to be sealed.
+ Application: In some special occasions or high-end LED lamps, silver wire may be used as a conductor material.
Summary
The gold wire of LED lamp beads mainly refers to the wire made of high-purity gold, which has excellent electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and toughness. However, due to the high price of gold, in order to reduce costs, alternative materials such as alloy wire and silver wire have also appeared on the market. These alternative materials have their own characteristics in cost, performance and application scenarios. LED packaging manufacturers will choose the appropriate wire material according to specific needs and cost considerations.
It should be noted that although gold wire has many advantages in performance, in actual applications, the selection of suitable wire materials also requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, such as cost, reliability, solderability, etc. At the same time, it is difficult for consumers to directly distinguish whether gold wire or other alternative materials are used inside LED lamp beads by naked eyes, so it is crucial to choose reputable brands and manufacturers.