PCB Corrosion

5 Ways to Prevent PCB Corrosion

PCBs are used in many electronic devices such as computers, televisions, cell phones, etc. They are also found in cars, toys, and other products. However, they are very susceptible to corrosion.

 

WHAT IS PCB CORROSION?

 

Let’s first understand the effects of PCB corrosion. The role of corrosion at the beginning is to increase the resistance of the circuit board, as the corrosion increases, PCB corrosion will affect and even stop working.which is a big loss for you.We can help you solve many problems.

Corrosion is an oxidation process that occurs when oxygen combines with metal, and the entry of oxygen causes the metal to rust. As we all know, PCBs are mainly made of metal.

 

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However, some metals are strong, they are extremely difficult to corrode and avoid being affected:

 

 

Some metals are prone to corrosion and can be seen in many places:

  • nickel plated
  • tinned
  • copper

Some metals are valued extremely well, such as gold and silver, and are called precious metals.

Other metals that are susceptible to corrosion, such as copper and tin, are called base metals.

 

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF PCB CORROSION?

 

We focus primarily on the most common type of corrosion, which is atmospheric corrosion.

Atmospheric corrosion is usually caused by a chemical reaction between the moisture in the air and the metal.

A general corrosion attack leads to the formation of copper oxide, which causes problems with your PCB’s low conductivity. However, the mechanical properties remain unchanged, which is very common in circuit boards.

WHAT CAN WE DO

 

I can’t guarantee that doing this well is enough, but it is absolutely necessary to try the methods I recommend below.

 

KEEP PCB DRY

 

It’s perfectly fine to keep your PCB in a dry place and do your best to avoid moisture around the PCB. Try to put them in an environment that is not affected by humidity, we all know that humidity is the killer of PCB, this can better preserve your PCB. You can also click here to learn about better ways to preserve PCBs.

 

REMOVAL OF FLUX RESIDUES ON PCBS

 

Older flux materials are notorious for producing chlorine. Residual flux residues must be cleaned manually to prevent crevice corrosion.

 

CONFORMAL COATING COVERS THE PCB

 

Conformal coatings can help when encapsulation of a PCB in an enclosure is not an option.

 

PCB Corrosion

 

When you see this, do you understand the threat of corrosion to PCB.

So do we have a better method or item that can help you remove the hazards of corrosion?

These five items may help you, let’s keep reading!

 

 

 

 

5 ITEMS TO PREVENT CORROSION ON PCBS

 

SODA WATER

 

Troublesome corrosion can be removed using baking soda in the water. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which reacts to dirt and dust, and can remove corrosion without leaving a trace, so it might be worth a try.

 

DEIONIZED WATER

 

Another way that works for you, the ions in the water have conductive properties that degrade the performance of the electrons. At the same time, it can effectively remove pollutants, which is also one of the effective methods.

 

wonderful pcb142

 

DISTILLED WATER

 

Distilled water is specially treated to remove many contaminants so it won’t damage the PCB.

By the way, distilled water must be sealed and stored, and avoid direct contact with the skin to ensure the effectiveness of distilled water.

 

CHEMICAL CLEANER

 

You can also start with isopropyl alcohol for no reason as it is cheap and evaporates quickly.
Most of them are used in PCB cleaning.

 

COMPRESSED AIR

 

The methods that are used by the most people are described below. Using a short jet of air into the vents is also a handy way to blow the dust out of the interior.

 

You can carry out anti-corrosion according to your actual situation. These are all very effective methods and some of them are very cheap. I thought it would be a good try.

If you need help choosing the right electronics manufacturing services company to work with, or have any questions about PCBs, we’re a great partner.

 

Kei Lin

Editor-in-Chief of Wonderful PCB, enjoys writing and telling stories about power electronics, wide bandgap semiconductors, automotive, IoT, digital, energy and quantum. Currently the editor-in-chief of Wonderful PCB and Wonderful Chip, a podcast about power electronics.

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