# Relay Contamination

Date: 2012-11-22

Categories: [Contamination Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/contamination-analysis/index.md), [Failure Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/failure-analysis/index.md), [Inorganic Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/inorganic-analysis/index.md), [Relay Failure Analysis](https://gideonlabs.com/categories/relay-failure-analysis/index.md)




Relays are very susceptible to contamination because the leads are made of copper and vulnerable to corrosion and leakage current if not protected from the environment.

The liquid shown here was thought to have come from the flux residue and, therefore, an organic analysis [FTIR](/analytical-services/fourier-transform-infra-red-spectroscopy/) was required as opposed to inorganic [XRF.](/analytical-services/x-ray-fluorescence-spectrometry/) However, the liquid was acidic in nature and XRF was employed. The material was a filled, glass fiber reinforced material containing a phosphorus species along with an antimony/bromine fire retardant package. The original formulation likely contained antimony oxide and a poly-brominated organic, such as diphenyl ether or a tetra-bromo BPA polyester or polycarbonate. The bromic acid has leached out of the fire retardant material. This material is not compatible with most electronic circuits or components.

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![Liquid on the polymer surface](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/relay-1.jpg 'Liquid on the polymer surface')
![XRF of the material](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/relay-2.jpg 'XRF of the material')
![Bromine in XRF Spectrum](https://res.cloudinary.com/dy3wlzuye/image/upload/f_auto,c_scale,w_300/GideonLabs/relay-3.jpg 'Bromine in XRF Spectrum')