Difference between revisions of "Conformal coating"
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| Epoxy | | Epoxy | ||
| Extreme hardness, high strength and abrasion resistance; high resistance to heat moisture and solvents; can be pigmented | | Extreme hardness, high strength and abrasion resistance; high resistance to heat moisture and solvents; can be pigmented | ||
| − | | Removal of epoxy may | + | | Removal of epoxy may cause damage to underlying components |
| Brush, spray or dip. May shrink and produce heat when curing. | | Brush, spray or dip. May shrink and produce heat when curing. | ||
| no | | no | ||
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Silicone | | Silicone | ||
| − | | Resistant to chemicals with low moisture penetration; withstands high temperature; provides thermal and vibration insulation; | + | | Resistant to chemicals with low moisture penetration; withstands high temperature; provides thermal and vibration insulation; typically pigmented |
| Relatively thick and soft; can be easily damaged; low solvent resistance | | Relatively thick and soft; can be easily damaged; low solvent resistance | ||
| Brush, spray or dip. Typically cured within 1 hour. | | Brush, spray or dip. Typically cured within 1 hour. | ||
| Line 62: | Line 62: | ||
| Ultra-thin coating that can provide excellent resistance to moisture, chemicals and solvents | | Ultra-thin coating that can provide excellent resistance to moisture, chemicals and solvents | ||
| Requires special application equipment | | Requires special application equipment | ||
| − | | Applied with vapor deposition at room | + | | Applied with vapor deposition at room temperature. |
| no | | no | ||
| 0.59 | | 0.59 | ||
Revision as of 08:20, 13 February 2025
Description
An uninterrupted coating that assumes the exact form or shape of the object. Most conformal coatings are thin, nonconductive, dielectric layers that were originally designed for the protection of electronics and electrical devices from moisture, contamination, chemicals, solvents, fungus, dust and corrosion. Because they are capable providing protection for a wide variety of substrates including metals, polymers, and semiconductors there use has expanded to include medical devices, automotive parts, consumer goods, and even works or art. Many types of polymers have been used for conformal coatings including, Acrylics, Epoxies, Silicones, Polyurethanes, Styrene and Parylene. One example, Parylene, is apllied via vapor deposited coating while more recent additions, such as Nanoproof and Vitroguard are available as solution-based coatings that can be dip or spray applied and requires little to no masking.
Synonyms and Related Terms
Product names: Parylene; Nanoproof; Aculon; Vitroguard; 3M Novec
Polymer Characteristics for Conformal Coatings
| Polymer base | Advantages | Disadvantages | Application | Possible to remove? | water vapor transmission rate (g*mm/m2*day) | Service temperature | Average thickness | Commercial products |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | Low vapor phase transmission; does not shrink or give off heat when curing; low cost; clear | Can be easily damaged; low solvent resistance | Brush, spray or dip. Dry to touch in 10 minutes, typically cured within 24 hours. | yes | 15.9 | 82 C | 0.03-0.13 mm | AFA and HPA Electrolube |
| Epoxy | Extreme hardness, high strength and abrasion resistance; high resistance to heat moisture and solvents; can be pigmented | Removal of epoxy may cause damage to underlying components | Brush, spray or dip. May shrink and produce heat when curing. | no | 0.94 | 177 C | 0.03-0.13 mm | |
| Polyurethane | Excellent adhesion, high resistance to abrasion, moisture, chemicals and UV; low cost; clear | Can break down with heat | Brush, spray or dip. May take 1-30 days to cure. | no | 0.9-3.4 | 121 C | 0.03-0.13 mm | PUCAF |
| Silicone | Resistant to chemicals with low moisture penetration; withstands high temperature; provides thermal and vibration insulation; typically pigmented | Relatively thick and soft; can be easily damaged; low solvent resistance | Brush, spray or dip. Typically cured within 1 hour. | maybe | 1.7-47.5 | 260 C | 0.05-0.21 mm | |
| Parylene N | Ultra-thin coating that can provide excellent resistance to moisture, chemicals and solvents | Requires special application equipment | Applied with vapor deposition at room temperature. | no | 0.59 | 60-70 C | 0.01-0.05 mm | Parylene N SCS |
| Amorphous fluoropolymer | Excellent resistance to oils, solvents and water; ultrathin | Requires special application equipment | Brush, spray or dip. Fast dry time | Fluorocoat; FPC |
Risks
- Wear protective gloves and use fume hood for application
Physical and Chemical Properties
Working Properties
- Applications methods: spray, jet, dip, vapor deposition
Resources and Citations
- Wikipedia: Conformal Coatings Accessed Feb. 2025
- Specialty Coating Systems: Conformal Coatings
- Aculon: NanoProof coatings Accessed Feb. 2025