How to Remove Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Corrosion

Introduction

PCB Corrosion is the primary element that directly affects the durability rate of electronic devices. It deteriorates the circuit and its components. Hence, there is no specific time from when deterioration starts to happen. Fundamentally, corrosion is the gradual breakdown of the material. When metal combines with water and oxygen, it generates iron oxide, usually known as rust.

Understand this by the example of any of your electronic devices. When a device like your smartphone gets dropped into the water, what happens? Apparently, it looks fine but after some time you have found that corrosion happened and the phone gets short-circuited. Now, what do you do? You will go to the repairer to mend your phone. Thus, the circuit needs to remove the corrosion. So, in this article, we will discuss how can we remove PCB corrosion. But, before that let us discuss the causes of PCB corrosion.

Causes of PCB Corrosion

Different materials can cause a breakdown and can corrode the Printed circuit board at different rates. Air pollutants, Humidity/moisture in the air, and the direct interaction with the water can cause corrosion. Also, the traces of printed circuit board gets affected or corroded because of the solutions like Gatorade. Since the flux materials contain corrosive chemicals like chlorine, therefore, flux residues that are leftover from soldering can also cause corrosion. So, the removal of solder flux is very important after soldering.

Cleaning of PCB Corrosion

There are some ways through which the Printed circuit board corrosion can be removed or clean. However, one must have to be careful while cleaning. If you have not cleaned it till today and this is your first time, then try to clean it under the supervision of any professional who has this knowledge f cleaning.

(1) Cleaning through the Spray

There are sprays in the market that enables the cleaning of the printed circuit board. However, these can be harmful to any being. Hence prevention should be taken before this cleaning process. Firstly, disconnect the power and other cables and shut down your device. Make sure to wear protective clothing. Also, use eyewear to protect your eyes. Most importantly, do this process in a ventilated area.

(2) Cleaning with the Solution

Mix Baking soda, isopropyl alcohol, and water to make the solution. If the corrosion happens significantly, then mix a great amount of baking soda with water to make a sunny pate. Now, use a cotton swab and gently start applying to the corroded areas. Give 24 hours for the solution to dry. Use the hairdryer to dry the board. Replace old batteries with the new ones

Conclusion

Removal and cleaning of the PCB circuit board are possible but require some above-given knowledge. Hence it is recommended to do the cleaning in front of any professional who knows the whole process of cleaning. Because improper cleaning can also damage the device. Also, always try to take measures to prevent the PCB from corrosion. hence make sure not to use water near your electronic devices and circuits.