KYZEN to Present No-Clean Flux Residue Study Findings at SMTAI

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KYZEN announces that Dr. Mike Bixenman will present the recent paper entitled, “Reactivity of No-Clean Flux Residues Trapped Under Bottom Terminated Components” during SMTA International. The paper is co-authored by Bruno Tolla, Ph.D., Jennifer Allen and Kyle Loomis from Kester and will be presented during the “Flux, Solder, Adhesives Track” on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 3 p.m.

The standoff gap of Bottom Terminated Components is commonly less than 50µm. As components reduce in size, the flux residue formation during the reflow soldering process is altered which can impact the reliability of the final assembly. If the residues trapped under the component terminations are active and can be mobilized with moisture, there is a potential for electrochemical migration, which will compromise the reliability of the final assembly.

The test board designed for this study has sensors placed under the components bottom termination. The component types selected are µBGAs, QFNs and resistors. Four solder pastes with different activator systems will be studied. Surface Insulation Resistance and Ionic contaminants of the residues trapped under the component termination will be measured. The DOE matrix calls for various reflow profiles and cleaning conditions (uncleaned, partially clean and thorough cleaning cycle). Inferences from the data findings, conclusions and process recommendations will be reported.

Dr. Mike Bixenman, CTO of KYZEN, has more than 20 years of experience in the design of electronic assembly cleaning materials and process integration. He was the chair of the 2008 IPC/SMTA Cleaning Symposium and is the current chair of the IPC Cleaning Handbook Task Group. Dr. Bixenman holds four earned degrees including a Doctorate in Business Administration.

About KYZEN

KYZEN is a global leader in providing environmentally responsible, RoHS compliant precision cleaning chemistries for industries ranging from electronics and advanced packaging to metal finishing and aerospace applications. Since its founding in 1990, KYZEN’s innovative cleaning technologies, scientific expertise and customer support have been repeatedly recognized with the industry’s most prestigious awards. For more information, click here.