What is Ionic Contamination?
This episode of Ask Dr. Adam explains why ionic contamination is a hidden but critical threat to PCB reliability and how to bring it under control.
Dr. Adam introduces common ionic species found on printed circuit boards—anions such as chloride, sulfate, and organic acids, and cations such as sodium, potassium, and calcium—and shows how they combine with moisture and voltage to drive corrosion, electrochemical migration, leakage, and dendrite growth. Viewers learn the main contamination sources across PCB fabrication, assembly, flux residues, handling, and environmental exposure, including “sneaky” contributors like markers, wipes, and swabs.
The episode also highlights practical mitigation strategies: engineered cleaning chemistry, optimized rinsing and rinse‑water quality, wash‑bath monitoring, better handling practices, and the use of ion chromatography and related tests to verify cleanliness and improve long‑term electronics reliability.