What are Corrosion Resistant Materials?
In some processes, such as printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, it may be desirable to etch (chemically remove) certain parts of material while protecting another part.
In order to protect material that should not be removed, an anti-corrosion material is used as a mask. The resist material of course needs to be resistant to the etchant, but should also be easy to apply and remove.
What are the desirable Apiezon products for use as corrosion resistant materials?
Apiezon W wax is a satisfactory resist. Apiezon Wax W is probably most widely used in the electronics industry as an anti-corrosion agent for semiconductors and PCBs. Its wide operating temperature range and low vapor pressure means it is also well documented in many other diverse applications and is the most versatile of the Apiezon wax range.
Apiezon Wax W, also known as "Black Wax", manufactured by M&I Materials Ltd, has very good corrosion resistance in various etchants including KOH, TMAH, EDP, HF, HNO 3 , NaOH and acetic acid, Up to 75°C acid, but can still be easily removed with hydrocarbon solvents.
The strong 'getting' properties of Apiezon Wax W also mean that in the post-etch cleaning step, impurities that may remain on the surface if the solvent alone is used are also removed with the wax.
Additionally, the hydrocarbon formulation and the "very clean" melt properties of the wax ensure that no unwanted etch contaminants are introduced into the system.
