Blog Post: Outgassing - The Unlikely Culprits

Outgassing is a critical issue in the manufacturing of electronic devices such as LED’s, cameras and hard disk drives. Outgassing is where gasses are released from a material that has either been dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed during the manufacturing process. Since many electronic devices are manufactured in high vacuum environments, it is important that all possible sources of outgassing be eliminated.

Some likely candidates that are prone to outgassing include sealants, adhesives, and lubricants. However, some of the more unlikely suspects can (and do) release gas as well, including metals and glass due to impurities or cracking. Other culprits that one might not suspect are the labels used on machines, paperwork and containers within the cleanroom. In sensitive environments, the outgassing from the label materials could compromise an entire cleanroom operation.

To help eliminate some of the hidden sources of outgassing, make sure that all materials used within your critical environment are certified for low outgassing. For example, any label, adhesive, or masking products need to be manufactured specifically for use within the cleanroom. UltraTape manufactures an entire line of adhesive tape and label products that meet these criteria. For more information, check out our label products at cleanroom labels page.