Ion chromatography for PCB analysis
Ion chromatography (IC) separates and quantifies specific anions and cations. It identifies chlorides, bromides, sulfates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, ammonium, and others at ppm to ppb levels. IC provides the detailed fingerprint needed for root cause analysis.
IC results guide cleaning chemistry selection and process changes by identifying the most harmful ions. ZESTRON uses IC to tailor cleaning formulations to remove exactly the contaminants present.
Principles of ion chromatography
IC workflow:
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extract residues from a defined board area using solvent or water
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inject the extract into an ion chromatograph
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separate ions by interaction with a column
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quantify using conductivity or suppressed conductivity detection
Proper extraction and sample handling are vital for representative results. ZESTRON provides standardized sampling kits and analytical interpretation.
Advantages for contamination analysis
Benefits include:
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specific identification of aggressive ions like chloride or bromide
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low detection limits enabling early detection
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ability to correlate specific ions with failure mechanisms
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data that supports targeted corrective actions
IC is the preferred tool when ROSE indicates elevated contamination or when field failures suggest specific ionic species.