cleaning copper connections of high precision device

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spartan
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cleaning copper connections of high precision device

Post by spartan »

Hi all,
Here's my first post with a question I've been trying to solve for a while.

I work with electronic components of very high quality and we try to make all our connections using thin copper ribbons of various thickness. I have started cleaning my copper connections with a solution of vinegar and salt (more or less 3g of salt in 200ml vinegar). I believe that combination yields sodium acetate and hydrogen chloride. It gets rid of any oxidation on the copper. Even copper that looks very clean appears much brighter and cleaner when the solution is applied.

My problem is what happens after the procedure: the piece of copper after a while becomes much more oxidized than before (the new oxidation starts to become visible after a few hours). I have started to clean the copper with isop. alcohol, which sometimes works well, and sometimes doesn't. I suspect the piece must be scrupulously cleaned in order not to oxidize again (in the rate described), which is sometimes very difficult. (Let me add that this is a problem because often I must clean the parts a couple of days before soldering them, and in other cases the connection is merely mechanical).

My question is whether any good soul here would know how to "neutralize" the sodium acetate/ hydrogen chloride solution right after it has cleaned the copper. The reason why the copper oxidizes really fast if I don't clean the solution with alcohol and why it doesn't when I do is beyond me. At any rate, I am looking for a more practical way to maintain the copper bright and clean after using the vinegar solution, for as I said cleaning it with alcohol is very time consuming in order to be effective.

I thank you all in advance for any help.

Marcel
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