Yahoo Groups archive

Homebrew PCBs

Index last updated: 2026-04-28 23:05 UTC

Message

Bichromate Alternative for PCB development

2011-07-29 by sandeep

Hello Everyone,

First of all I thank people of this forum for contributing wealth of knowledge here, I am really amazed.

I am exploring possibilities to use "Gum bichromate" method (Gum + potassium bichromate) to develop PCB (Printed circuit boards). Basically to transfer circuit from transparent sheet to the copper-cladded-board treated with gum-bichromate.

My sole concern is about safety. It is well informed all over Internet that chromate compounds are deadly dangerous (for both use and disposal).

1) I would like to know is there any alternative which is more safe, easily available and economical when compared to potassium/ammonium bichromate? I don't want to go for toner transfer or dry film option, only photo-resists.

2) Secondly, do these bichromate remain dangerous/harmful after they are UV-exposed and developed with water? The harden material which remains after development, is that still hazardous?

Feel free to provide your views.

Regards,
Motif

Attachments

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.