Gold in Technology

Gold is used in many electronic applications, especially telecommunications, information technology and other high performance and safety critical applications.

Phone and computer

The mobile phone is made up of gold plated contacts.In old computer gold plated edge connectors on the circuit boards are used. As a result of the consumer electronics market’s growth, long term annual consumption of gold in electronics is increasing. Where circuitry is complex or reliability requirements are high, gold is the preferred choice.

Properties of Gold

Gold’s properties include outstanding resistance to corrosion, ease of manufacture and high thermal and electrical conductivity. Only silver and copper are better conductors of electricity, but these do not have comparable resistance to tarnishing or corrosion. Where resistance to tarnish or corrosion is essential, it is therefore common either to use gold or a gold alloy, or to plate gold onto a less noble metal. In electronic applications, the resistance of gold to environmental effects is perhaps its most important quality.

Reliability

The greater the product sophistication and reliability requirements, the more reason to utilise gold as a raw material. Gold is indispensable in telecommunications, computers, automotive electronics and defence systems, where safety is critical.

Research and innovation

Research shows the use of gold in electronics and moreover it includes the development of high strength connecting wires and improved wetting solder alloys. Future information technology innovations will require highly integrated electronic devices, designed and fabricated on the nanometre scale (one billionth of a metre). So,gold will be perfectly use for nanoscale electronics. Researchers are doing experiments to extend the use of gold in other fields.