Going for gold [gold in electronics industry]

Gold is the pre-eminent noble metal, prized throughout history for its beauty, permanence and rarity-an enduring store of wealth and the basis for countless decorative, ceremonial and religious artefacts. In the modern world, gold´s unique chemical and physical properties mean that it is now finding increasing use in a wide range of industrial applications. Gold has outstanding resistance to corrosion and excellent bio-compatibility, is easy to work and has high thermal and electrical conductivity. Only silver and copper are better conductors of electricity, but cannot match gold´s resistance to tarnishing or corrosion. In electronics, gold´s immunity to environmental effects is possibly its most significant property-allowing the technical performance of gold electroplating or gold bonding wires to remain essentially unchanged by time. The mobile phone and PC markets have been fuelling a rising demand for gold in the electronics sector, and during 2000 it was estimated that around 280 tonnes found its way into electronics and electrical components´. Where the voltages are small, the circuitry complex, or reliability must be high, gold is usually the preferred choice. Gold-plated contacts and connectors are the most important use of gold in the electronics industry. gold is generally considered the best material for low-voltage, low-current and low-contact-force applications. When two gold surfaces are brought together into intimate contact, the resulting electrical connection offers unrivalled low resistance and stability