Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Register Log in

[Moved]: Copper layer protection methods

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

Enzy

Advanced Member level 1
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
488
Helped
2
Reputation
4
Reaction score
2
Trophy points
18
Activity points
4,607
I am practicing some etching from the other day but what I realize is that the coper keeps coming off the board after etching is completed, it happens slowly but it still happens. What can I use to protect the copper layer.
 

Or possibly I am the one not doing it correct because I havent seen anyone using anything to protect the traces after etching is finished.
 

Really don't know what "copper keeps coming off the board" is supposed to mean. Presuming standard copper laminated FR4, the copper foil is rather tightly bonded to the substrate. Having unsuitable etch resist, the copper might full of small holes, but still won't "come off the board". On the other side, even small copper particles of an incomplete etched board stay steadily.

Copper traces will however easily delaminate when soldering it too hot.

But as said, I'm talking about standard laminate quality.

Also presume proper rinsing of etched boards to remove any etchant residuals, otherwise copper might be attacked later on.

Coating copper traces might be useful to avoid brown or black tarnish, but not necessarily required.
 

What do you mean by "keeps coming off the board"? Do you mean that it keeps etching? If so, completely neutralize the etchant. Do you mean the copper traces lift off the substrate? If so, you might have low quality PCB material, or maybe overheated the board somewhere during the process. Are you ironing on the resist? Maybe the excess heat comes from this operation.
 

Probably its my mind playing tricks but yes because I see the holes in the copper traces after a while of handling the board over and over to me it seems as if the copper takes its own to come off the board, so I was saying if there isnt anything I could spray n the board or dip the board in the protect it or something to give in a coat of insulation
 

Often the copper "peels off" from the board if heated too high during soldering. Sometimes the resist was not correctly applied and the the copper too gets partly etched during processing. A very thin copper layer has a "bad habit" of peeling off the board. I have seen this sometimes with single sides bakelite boards but rarely with fiberglass boards. But the glue that hold the copper foil to the board is quite strong (epoxy) and is heat resistant and if you find this happening often, please change the brand of the board.
 

You may be seeing over-etch where the photoresist protects
the top face, but the copper is undercut from the sides as
etching proceeds. This might be too much etch-time. Might
be issues with etch uniformity between fine and thick traces.
Might have to do with etchant agitation / circulation, the etch
process consumes the etchant where it's working and lets
areas with lower "loading" overetch while areas with more
underetch, and only ensuring that all areas have a steady
supply of consistent-concentration etchant helps that.
This is why you see spray type etch booths.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top