Disassembling an electronic product, we will find that there are usually several PCBs inside, and the PCB colors are various: green, blue, red, white, black, etc., what is the difference between these different colors? Today let’s learn about PCB inks.

The color of PCB is mainly the color of solder mask ink. Green, blue, red, black, and white are more common on the market. As the name suggests, the role of solder mask is to prevent soldering. Usually, a layer of insulating solder mask is printed during PCB manufacturing, and the circuits and pads that need to be shielded are covered with solder mask to prevent unnecessary short circuits during soldering. This can protect the copper surface of the circuit from oxidation. As for what color to use, it mainly depends on what product the PCB board is used for. For example, the aluminum substrate used in the LED panel light should use white solder mask. There are no special requirements for other products, and they generally use common green.

According to the different ink manufacturers, the same color ink will have different characteristics. The characteristics of the ink are mainly shown in the following aspects:

1. Nickel-plated gold resistance: At present, many PCB surface treatments are nickel-plated gold, so the resistance to nickel-plated gold must be good.

2. High photosensitivity: The higher photosensitivity allows the ink to be cured quickly during curing.

3. Cavitation resistance: No bubbles or pinholes are generated during the process of spraying or printing ink curing.

4. High adhesion: adhesion affects the life of the ink, and high adhesion avoids falling off and lifting.

5. Heat resistance: Good heat resistance can protect the stability of high-power components PCB.

6. Halogen-free: The PCB production process has a certain impact on the environment. Lead-free and halogen-free will be the focus of PCB manufacturing in the future.

7. Smoke density: The lower the smoke density produced during use, the smaller the impact on the environment.

Different ink colors have no difference in performance.

As the electrical connection between components, the color of the PCB has no direct relationship with performance, and the difference in color will not affect the electrical properties. The performance of the PCB is determined by factors such as materials and wiring design.

However, during the PCB manufacturing process, the black solder mask may affect subsequent inspections. Since the black solder mask will cover the circuit illegible, it will cause certain difficulties for subsequent inspection and maintenance. In recent years, many designers will choose matte solder mask to make the PCB look very textured. The final color depends on where your product is used, and the color requirements are not high.