- Silicone (SR) conformal coatings are inorganic materials. They are polymers in which atoms of silicon and oxygen alternate in a chain. They differ to the organic polymers like the acrylics and urethanes.
- The silicone coatings normally have a very wide temperature range of operation compared to the other conformal coatings. Typical range can be -55°C to +200°C (-67°F to +392°F). Like the organic coatings (acrylics and urethanes) they have good moisture protection. They also have good chemical resistance to polar solvents.
- SR coatings are generally applied at 2-3 times the thickness dry film compared to organic coatings. This is reflected in the IPC standards on the recommended conformal coating thickness. This increase in material use can lead to increased costs but also better water repellency properties.
- Curing of silicones occurs through several different mechanisms, depending on the conformal coating, including RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanisation), Heat, UV, Moisture / Condensation and Catalysed Cure.
- In production they can be difficult materials to use due to the cure mechanism being difficult to control. Good housekeeping can minimise these effects. SR coatings can also require different coating equipment or options compared to the organic coatings. This should be considered as part of the holistic approach to conformal coating selection.
The different conformal coating material properties
Conformal coatings can be considered in many different ways.
This includes the different families of materials, their individual properties and the chemistries of these coatings.
The different ways we can examine conformal coatings include:
- Classification
- Physical Properties
- Electrical Properties
- Chemistry
There is a vast range of options and considerations available.
Click conformal coating material properties to gain a deeper knowledge of conformal coatings.
Need to find out more?
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If you are new to Nexus and our work on conformal coatings then a good place to go is our Start Here page or our free conformal coating eBook.
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