Cookson Electronics launches ZERO halogen initiative

Cookson Electronics is launching its ZERO halogen initiative for its ALPHA branded products to assist electronics assemblers on the selection of materials that have either ZERO halogen content or only trace levels based on published industry standards.

Concerns are increasing among assemblers who want to limit the potentially negative environmental and human health impact of halogens used in their products. The by-products of the incomplete combustion of circuit boards and electronic products that contain halogens can include: dioxin and furan-like compounds and acidic or corrosive gasses. This potential toxicity issue is the reason why many companies are implementing controls to limit or eliminate halogens from their products.


The current list of ALPHA®certified Zero halogen (no halogen content) products are:

l Solder pastes:
n ALPHA OM-338 PT ALPHA OM-338 T
n ALPHA OM-338 CSP ALPHA OM-345
n ALPHA OM-340

l Fluxes:
n ALPHA SLS 65 ALPHA SLS 65C

l Cored Solder Wire:
n ALPHA SMT+



The current list of ALPHA certified Halogen-free (< 900 ppm Br, <900 ppm Cl, and <1500 ppm combined Br and Cl) products per published IPC, IEC and JPCA standards are:

l Solder pastes:
n ALPHA OM-325 ALPHA OM-350

l Fluxes:
n ALPHA EF-Series ALPHA RF-800

l Cored Solder Wire:
n ALPHA Telecore Plus

The use of materials that have no halogens in their original formulation is the ideal way to eliminate these materials as possible halogen sources. Given the many different sources halogens and the minimal environmental impact that low levels present, most organizations have adopted the levels developed by the International Electrochemical Commission (IEC) as their final assembled product. These levels are: <900 ppm chlorine, <900 ppm bromine and <1500 ppm total halogens. Halogens are different than halides. A halide is a halogen that had collected an additional electron and has become ionic. Halides are associated with reliability issues in electronics when left uncontained.

Cookson Electronics