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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

In Situ Gas Analysis and Fire Characterization of Lithium-Ion Cells During Thermal Runaway Using an Environmental Chamber
Published on: March 31, 2023
Analysis of a soldered wire burnt in a fire
Yasuaki Hagimoto1, Hiroki Yamamoto
1Fire Investigation Section, National Research Institute of Police Science, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-0882, Japan. hagimoto@nrips.go.jp
Abstract:
Fire investigators frequently encounter electrical wires with melted ends at fire scenes, which can provide useful information on the cause and development of the fire even when the melted ends result from the fires. A bead on a melted end of a wire was found in the area of origin of a massive fire that lasted for nearly a whole day, devastating a factory. The bead appeared to be the end of a wire soldered to a terminal. X-ray analysis showed that the bead is a tin-copper alloy. Although regular tin-lead solder was used in the factory, lead was not detected. This contradictory result stood in the way of fire investigation. Therefore, an unused wire soldered with tin-lead solder was heated in an electric furnace at 500 degrees C for 3 h for further examination. X-ray analysis of this wire showed that copper can be alloyed with tin while losing lead in a long-term heat in a fire.
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