As FPC manufacturer knows that，Corrosion is the common name for the oxidation of metals and occurs when oxygen bonds with a metal. In the case of printed circuit boards with copper traces, corrosion result in the creation of copper oxide, which is a non-conductor of electricity. As the copper oxide flakes off, the copper track loses its volume, and its resistance increases which can cause performance issues.

Thin layers of tin, nickel, copper, and lead, all of which are present on the FPC surface, can be susceptible to corrosion. On the other hand, some alloys of copper, silver, gold, and graphite can resist corrosion indefinitely. Therefore, FPC manufacturers frequently cover the base metals like copper on the FPC with noble metals like gold to prevent corrosion. Circuit boards are highly susceptible to corrosion as they contain a high amount of copper in each layer.

There are different types of corrosion and understanding their nature helps in the diagnosis and prevention.