Corrosion of Electronics: The Role of Ionic Substances

Classical chemical, electrochemical, and galvanic corrosion processes, induced or assisted by ionic contamination, particularly in the presence of moisture, have often been found to cause degradation of electronic equipment and devices in a wide variety of ways. 

Through recent work, the concentrations of airborne ionic substances and the transport of these substances to equipment and device surfaces have been characterized. A methodology has been developed for estimating, from readily available outdoor concentrations, the accumulation rates of these substances on surfaces, either in the field or in ordinary manufacturing environments.