[sdiy] 16pin dip header -- mild warning

[Peter Grenader]

Gold, like titanuim, has a remarkable resiliance to atmopheric contaminants.
The way I remember it (I used to be a QA who worked a lot with printed
circuit board production) is that copper, like steel, is considered an
'active' metal which will completely dissolve over time when subjected to
normal atmopheric conditions and water serves to accellerate this process.

Tin, like aluminum, reactes somewhat differently in that they are considered
'passive' metals.  A natural layer of oxidation (usually about 2 mils
thick)) will coat and actually seal the material underneath from further
contamination overtime, but it will not go all the way through as it will in
an active metal.

When properly electroplated, Gold serves and a semi-permanent insulting
layer which greatly improves a connector's resiliance to corrostion and in
so doing, regulating the surface resistance and electrical conductivity of
the substrate underneath..