离子键又被称为盐键，是化学键的一种，通过两个或多个原子或化学基团失去或获得电子而成为离子后形成。带相反电荷的原子或基团之间存在静电吸引力，两个带相反电荷的原子或基团靠近时，周围水分子被释放为自由水中，带负电和带正电的原子或基团之间产生的静电吸引力以形成离子键。

此类化学键往往在金属与非金属间形成。失去电子的往往是金属元素的原子，而获得电子的往往是非金属元素的原子。带有相反电荷的离子因电磁力而相互吸引，从而形成化学键。离子键较氢键强，其强度与共价键接近。

仅当总体的能级下降的时候，反应才会发生（由化学键联接的原子较自由原子有着较低的能级）。下降越多，形成的键越强。

Ionic bonding is a type of chemical bond that involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, and is the primary interaction occurring in ionic compounds. The ions are atoms that have lost one or more electrons (known as cations) and atoms that have gained one or more electrons (known as anions). This transfer of electrons is known as electrovalence in contrast to covalence. In the simplest case, the cation is a metal atom and the anion is a nonmetal atom, but these ions can be of a more complex nature, e.g. molecular ions like NH₄ or SO₄. In simpler words, an ionic bond is the transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal in order for both atoms to obtain a full valence shell.