How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

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uhe
 
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Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:50 pm

How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

Post by uhe »

I'd like to know if there is any known (non hazardous) method to remove the black coating that gets placed over ICs on PCBs:
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westfw
 
Posts: 2008
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 1:01 pm

Re: How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

Post by westfw »

Not really; that's a blob of epoxy, same as IC packages are made of. So you can look into the techniques used for dissolving IC packages. There was http://hackaday.com/2010/07/16/decappin ... -with-sap/

Note that what is underneath these "blobs" is typically not a "full" IC, but just a chip of silicon ("bare die") bound directly to the board ("Chip on board" technology.) The blob is not just "hiding" the chip, but is the only physical protection of the chip itself and some very fragile die wires.

http://www.tutorialsweb.com/smt/smd-com ... -board.htm

uhe
 
Posts: 178
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:50 pm

Re: How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

Post by uhe »

Thanks westfw,
I don't intend to play with nitric acid but I know a few chemists hmmmmmm
Dissolving because of the chip is not that interesting but a bare die... that would be a reason ;)

Agent24
 
Posts: 307
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:48 am

Re: How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

Post by Agent24 »

Why would you want to dissolve the coating?

mkm558
 
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Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 7:08 pm

Re: How to remove IC coating from PCBs?

Post by mkm558 »

I want to remove the coating from PCB s, and IC s to expose the copper tracings for use in art. http://forums.adafruit.com/posting.php? ... 44&t=17991#

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