Before you dig too deep in your pocket, you should have someone try an FTIR scan. Take a quick look at: http://www.ipc.org/4.0_Knowledge/4.1_Standards/test/2.3.39C.pdf Nice thing about this technique is the solvent it recommends. Acetonitrile will dissolve about any organic residue out there and it's easy to evaporate for analysis. A good FTIR data base should at least get you close to the general class of chemical you're dealing with and at minimum provide you with a direction. A complicating issue with any analysis might be that: #1 - you are dealing with multiple chemical compounds in the residue. #2- this is not a residue at all, but an attack/discoloration of the surface. Rich K / GTS 847-621-7310 -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Blair Hogg Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 3:53 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Residues We are having an issues with printed circuit boards showing residues, that become more prevalent after heating cycles. It leaves a shiny / oily looking film that is somewhat splotchy. Sorry for all these technical terms. I'm suspecting undercured epoxy, and I am currently looking to send some out for chemical analysis. I have one lab quoting IC, and another's website also recommends FT-IR. The supplier performed a ROSE test and says there is no ionic contamination. The biggest problem we are having is with conformal coating adherance. Due to certain components on the one board that gives us trouble we aren't able to run it trhough our aqueous wash cycle. Is Ion Chromatography the right test? Any other suggestions? Thanks, Blair --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------