Conformal coating is a protective, breathable coating of thin polymeric film applied to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Conformal coatings are typically applied at 25–250 μm[1] thick to the electronic circuitry to protect against moisture and other potentially damaging conditions.
Coatings can be applied in many ways including brushing, spraying, dispensing, and dip coating. Many materials can be used as conformal coatings depending on manufacturer needs, such as acrylics, silicones, urethanes, and parylene. Many circuit board assembly firms coat assemblies with a layer of transparent conformal coating as an alternative to potting.Conformal coatings are used to protect electronic components from possible environmental exposure: they allow moisture to escape but protect from contamination. More recently, conformal coatings are being used to reduce the formation of whiskers[2] and to prevent current bleed between closely positioned components.
