Method of producing tarnish resistant copper and copper alloys and products thereof

Claim 1

A method of producing a flexible printed circuit comprising: A. providing a material selected from the group consisting of copper foil and copper sheet, B. applying to a surface of said material a phosphoric acid solution of at least 8% concentration and containing from 3.5 grams per liter up to the solubility limit of a material selected from the group consisting of sodium dichromate and potassium dichromate and mixtures thereof, for at least 2 seconds, to form a uniform, glassy-like, substantially porefree coating of copper phosphate from 20 to 1,000 Angstroms thick, provided that when the concentration of phosphoric acid is increased, the minimum dichromate concentration is proportionately increased, C. rinsing said material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of from about 4.9 to 6.3 and at a temperature from about 90°C up to the boiling point, D. drying said material, E. adhesively laminating a plastic film to said surface, F. applying a photoresist to the opposing surface of said material, G. projecting a circuitry pattern upon said photoresist wherein said photoresist is transformed into an acid insoluble compound at said circuitry pattern, H. dissolving away the unwanted portion of said material from said circuitry pattern by an acid solution, I. rinsing said surface, and J. drying said surface, thereby forming a flexible printed circuit.

Claim 2

A method of producing a flexible printed circuit comprising: A. providing a material selected from the group consisting of copper foil and copper sheet, B. applying to a surface of said material a phosphoric acid solution of at least 8% concentration and containing from 3.5 grams per liter up to the solubility limit of a material selected from the group consisting of sodium dichromate and potassium dichromate and mixtures thereof, for at least 2 seconds, to form a uniform, glassy-like, substantially porefree coating of copper phosphate from 20 to 1,000 Angstroms thick, provided that when the concentration of phosphoric acid is increased, the minimum dichromate concentration is proportionately increased, C. rinsing said material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of from about 4.9 to 6.3 and at a temperature from about 90°C up to the boiling point, D. drying said material, E. adhesively laminating a plastic film to said surface, F. applying a photoresist to the opposing surface of said material, G. projecting a circuitry pattern upon said photoresist wherein said photoresist is transformed into an acid insoluble compound at said circuitry pattern, H. dissolving away the unwanted portion of said material from said circuitry pattern by an acid solution, I. rinsing said surface, and J. drying said surface, thereby forming a flexible printed circuit.

Claim 8

A method of producing a flexible printed circuit comprising: A. providing a material selected from the group consisting of copper foil and copper sheet, B. oxidizing a surface of said material to form a surface oxide film from 150 to 1,000 Angstrom units in thickness, C. applying a phosphoric acid solution to said oxide film to form thereon a uniform, glassy-like, substantially porefree coating of copper phosphate, D. rinsing said material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of from about 4.9 to 6.3 and at a temperature from about 90°C up to the boiling point, E. drying said material, F. adhesively laminating a plastic film to said surface, G. applying a photoresist to the opposing surface of said material, H. projecting a circuitry pattern upon said photoresist wherein said photoresist is transformed into an acid insoluble compound at said circuitry pattern, I. dissolving away the unwanted portion of said material from said circuitry pattern by an acid solution, J. rinsing said surface, and K. drying said surface, thereby forming a flexible printed circuit.

Claim 9

A method of producing a flexible printed circuit comprising: A. providing a material selected from the group consisting of copper foil and copper sheet, B. oxidizing a surface of said material to form a surface oxide film from 150 to 1,000 Angstrom units in thickness, C. applying a phosphoric acid solution to said oxide film to form thereon a uniform, glassy-like, substantially porefree coating of copper phosphate, D. rinsing said material for at least two seconds in water at a pH of from about 4.9 to 6.3 and at a temperature from about 90°C up to the boiling point, E. drying said material, F. adhesively laminating a plastic film to said surface, G. applying a photoresist to the opposing surface of said material, H. projecting a circuitry pattern upon said photoresist wherein said photoresist is transformed into an acid insoluble compound at said circuitry pattern, I. dissolving away the unwanted portion of said material from said circuitry pattern by an acid solution, J. rinsing said surface, and K. drying said surface, thereby forming a flexible printed circuit.