IC

Q: How is IC different from ICP-MS?

IC measures ionic species , while ICP-MS measures total elemental content . IC is ideal when ionic form and mobility matter.

What Is Ion Chromatography?

Ion Chromatography separates ionic species based on their interaction with an ion-exchange column and a liquid mobile phase. Different ions elute at different retention times and are detected using conductivity or other detectors.

IC is particularly effective for analyzing anions, cations, and small organic acids that are difficult to measure using other techniques.

What IC Measures

IC can be used to quantify:

Anions
(e.g., chloride, fluoride, bromide, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate)
Cations
(e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, ammonium)
Small organic acids and ionic species
Trace ionic impurities at low concentration levels

These measurements are critical for understanding material cleanliness, chemical stability, and environmental exposure effects.

Why Use IC?

IC is chosen when ionic species may impact material performance or reliability. It helps answer questions such as:

Are corrosive ions present that could cause degradation?
Are cleaning residues or process chemicals remaining?
Do materials meet ionic cleanliness requirements?
Are differences present between suppliers or batches?
Did contamination contribute to corrosion or failure?

Because ions are highly mobile and reactive, even low concentrations can cause significant issues.

Typical Application Scenarios

Ionic Contamination & Cleanliness Testing

Detection of residual salts or cleaning agents
Evaluation of ionic cleanliness in critical components
Root-cause analysis of corrosion or leakage issues

Electronics & Semiconductor Materials

Ionic contamination control
Reliability and corrosion risk assessment
Qualification of materials and processes

Materials & Product Characterization

Inorganic ion profiling
Comparison of formulations or suppliers
Support for materials selection and specification control

Failure Analysis

Investigation of corrosion-related failures
Identification of ionic contributors to degradation
Comparison of “good vs. failed” samples

Quality Control & Supplier Qualification

Incoming material inspection
Batch-to-batch consistency verification
Long-term monitoring of ionic impurity levels

Sample Types

IC can be applied to:

solids (after appropriate extraction or leaching)
liquids and solutions
coatings, polymers, and composites
electronic and precision components

Sample preparation methods are selected based on material type and target ions.

What You Will Receive

Each IC project is delivered with a clear, structured report designed for technical and business decisions. A typical deliverable includes:

test objective and sample description
sample preparation and IC conditions
chromatograms with ion identification
quantitative ion concentration results
comparison summaries (batch vs. batch, supplier vs. supplier)
interpretation of results and potential impact
recommendations for corrective actions or follow-up testing

Why Choose Xinbodi for IC?

High sensitivity for trace-level ion detection
Accurate quantification of both anions and cations
Experience across diverse material systems
Clear interpretation linked to real-world performance
Support for R&D, QC, and failure investigations
Confidential handling of proprietary materials and data

IC