Requirements for Soldering Fluxes

1 IPC J-STD-004 BRequirements forSoldering FluxesA standard developed by the Flux Specifications Task Group (5-24a)of the Assembly and Joining Processes Committee (5-20) of IPCU sers of this publication are encouraged to participate in thedevelopment of future :IPC3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309 SBannockburn, Illinois 60015-1249 Tel 847 847 :J-STD-004A - January 2004J-STD-004 - January 1995 Amendment 1 - April 1996 Table of Contents1 SCOPE AND .. Shall .. 12 APPLICABLE .. Industry Standards .. Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM) .. Standards .. Organization for Standards .. Conference of StandardsLaboratories (NCSL) .. Technologies .. Electrotechnical Commission(IEC) .. , Evaluation, Authorization andRestriction of Chemicals (REACH) .. 33 GENERAL.

2 And Definitions and Acronyms .. Qualification .. Composition .. Type .. Activity .. Content .. Testing .. Testing .. Mirror Test .. Test .. Halide Content Tests .. Test .. SIR Test Results .. Resistance to ECM .. ECM Test Results .. Testing .. Flux Solids (Nonvolatile) Determination .. Acid Value Determination .. Specific Gravity Determination .. Viscosity of Paste (Tacky) Flux .. Visual .. Testing .. Qualitative Halide Tests .. Chlorides and Bromides by SilverChromate Method .. Fluorides By Spot Test .. SIR Tests .. Reporting Values for Optional SIRTest Methods .. Fungus Resistance Test .. Conformance Testing .. Value Determination .. Gravity Determination .. of Paste (Tacky) Flux .. Testing .. Balance Test.

3 Test - Liquid Flux .. 74 QUALIFICATION AND QUALITY for Inspection .. for Compliance .. Quality Assurance Program .. Equipment and Inspection Facilities .. Conditions .. of Inspections .. Inspection .. Size .. Routine .. Formula Variations ConstitutingMaterial Change .. Manufacturing Site Change .. Conformance Inspection .. Plan .. Lots .. Inspection .. 9 Appendix A Example Qualification Test 10 Appendix B 10 December 2008 IPC J-STD-004 BvFiguresFigure 3-1 Flux Corrosivity by Copper Mirror Test .. 5 Figure 3-2 Example of No Corrosion .. 5 Figure 3-3 Example of Minor Corrosion .. 5 Figure 3-4 Example of Major Corrosion .. 6 Figure B-1 Typical Wetting Balance Curve .. 12 TablesTable 1-1 Flux Identification System .. 1 Table 3-1 Preparation of Flux Forms for Testing.

4 3 Table 3-2 Test Requirements for Flux Classification .. 4 Table 4-1 Qualification, Quality Conformance andPerformance Testing for Flux .. 8 Table B-1 Spread Area Requirements .. 13 IPC J-STD-004 BDecember 2008viRequirements for Soldering Fluxes1 SCOPE AND ScopeThis standard prescribes general requirementsfor the classification and characterization of Fluxes for highquality solder interconnections. This standard may be usedfor quality control and procurement PurposeThe purpose of this standard is to classifyand characterize tin/lead and lead-free Soldering flux mate-rials for use in electronic metallurgical interconnections forprinted circuit board assembly. Soldering flux materialsinclude the following: liquid flux, paste flux, solder paste,solder cream, and flux-coated and flux-cored solder wiresand preforms.

5 It is not the intent of this standard to excludeany acceptable flux or Soldering material; however, thesematerials must produce the desired electrical and metallur-gical Requirements for Fluxes are defined in general terms forstandard classification. Appendix B has additional informa-tion that will help users understand some of the require-ments of this standard. In practice, where more stringentrequirements are necessary or other manufacturing pro-cesses are used, the usershalldefine these as DesignationFor ordering purposes and designationby other specifications, the following flux identificationsystemshallbe used (see Table 1-1). Interpretation Shall The imperative form of theverb is used throughout this standard whenever a require-ment is intended to express a provision that is from a shall requirement may be considered ifsufficient information is supplied to justify the 1-1 Flux Identification SystemFlux CompositionFlux/Flux ResidueActivity Levels% Halide1(by weight)Flux Type2 Flux DesignatorRosin(RO)Low< < < < > (RE)Low< < < < > (OR)Low< < < < > (IN)Low< < < < > Halide measuring < by weight in flux solids and may be known as halide-free.

6 This method determines the amount of ionic halide present (seeAppendix B-10).2. The 0 and 1 indicate the absence or presence of halides, respectively. See paragraph for flux type 2008 IPC J-STD-004B1