JAPAN PURE CHEMICA : FAQ > about Products & Tecnology



	Q1. What are the different types of precious metal plating? Q2. Why is precious metal plating used? Q3. What are the prospects for the precious metal plating business in the future? Q4. What are the features of JPC's products? Q5. What are some issues concerning product development and what are JPC's strategic research and development topics?



	Precious metal plating is divided into functional planting and decorative plating. Japan Pure Chemical engages primarily in functional plating. The main metal used are gold, silver, and palladium. Our products include gold plating for printed circuit boards and semiconductor circuit boards and gold and palladium plating for connectors. Silver is often used to plate the lead frames of semiconductors, but with the shift to lead-free soldering, the use of palladium is increasing.




	There are many components in electronic devices, and the number of connections between these components is tremendous. Materials with high resistance to corrosion and low electrical resistance must be used in the contacts and connections among these components. The precious metals have the required properties.



	Electronics devices including PCs and cell phones have come into widespread use around the world in recent years. Among such devices, the diffusion of mobile terminals such as cell phones has been particularly rapid, the use of color screen is expanding globally, and phones with cameras are also increasing in popularity very quickly. As these devices are made smaller and lighter and as additional functions are incorporated, plating technology is also advancing, and as a result, the future is bright for Japan Pure Chemical, which has advanced technological and development capabilities. We also believe there are significant business opportunities as digital consumer electronics are developed and their use spreads.



	Our products are precious metal plating chemicals. Quality is, of course, the most important aspect, but since they are industrial products used in electronics devices, it is also important that they contribute to higher productivity. The three key features of our products are as follows. High Quality and High Performance Our plating solutions are of high quality and feature excellent corrosion resistance of deposited precious metal films, high-speed Superior reaction and stability of plating solutions, and uniform plating thickness. Emphasis on Cost Savings through Minimal Use of Precious Metals Our products make significant contributions to higher yields and lower precious metal use volumes in user plating processes. This enables precious metals to be used for applications that in the past were too expensive. User Friendly Japan Pure Chemical's plating solutions have tolerance for changes in structure and the presence of impurities during user mass production processes, which enable minimized management in plating processes and increased efficiency.



	We are addressing three issues concerning new product development and improvement of existing products. 1. Products for cutting-edge devices (responses to smaller, higher density electronic components). 2. Environmentally-friendly products (responses to lead-free products, etc.). 3. Products that contribute that to lower user costs. For further information, refer to the "Research and Development" page in the "Products/ Research and Development " section.