Request for Information

by Matthew Chalkley, Procurement and Environmental Compliance Consultant

Key Summary

• IPC launched a rapid study to identify PFAS substances used across electronics manufacturing and finished articles.
• The request seeks information on PFAS types beyond well-known PFOA, including polymers and non-polymers.
• The study aims to map PFAS use in processes and articles such as wire insulation, PCBs, transducers, batteries, and wafer baskets.

Industry colleagues, on behalf of IPC, I have commenced a quick turn consultancy study, to understand which chemicals in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances class, are used within the electronics industry.

Recognizing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) used in photolithography processes in the manufacturing of semiconductors is widely understood, I would like to identify what other, from ever increasing list of 4700+ PFASs, their salts, and -related compounds and mixtures, are used within the electronics industry, inclusive of polymers and non-polymers. For example, long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylate (LCPFAC), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), substances with shorter per- or polyfluorinated carbon chains like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxyl (PFA), side-chain fluorinated polymers. I would also like to understand both the use of PFASs within electronics manufacturing processes as well as the PFASs that are incorporated in articles, for example, electrical wire and cable insulation, printed circuit boards, transducers, battery chemistry, semiconductor wafer baskets, etc. If you can provide some information, I would be grateful if you could specify the PFAS substance, CAS number, associated process and/or article it is used or incorporated into, relative amount used (e.g. parts per billion, ppb) and any other information that you believe would be relevant and useful.

I would appreciate if you can provide this information by July 20, 2020. I can be reached via e-mail at  chalklem19@gmail.com. Thank you in advance.