Among others: We have a requirement that the metal to be used HAS TO BE
GOLD PLATED before silver conductive adhesives are applied. Of course
there is also a barrier under the gold plating (most oftenly). The
reason why we do so is that gold is so outstanding in terms of its
cleanliness, its oxide free surface and its high surface energy. These
together permit a superb wetting. We have aged many such joints in order
to see if you get interdiffusion, which would be expected. Actually no
severe material changes seem to occur, so we have not worried about such
questions any more. What could possibly happen? /Ingemar H /