Comparison of Evaluation Methods for Corrosivity of Electronic Equipment Service Environments Based on Copper Corrosion Rate

To effectively evaluate the durability and safety of electronic and electrical equipment in service environments and guide environmental optimization control, three methods were employed to evaluate environmental corrosivity. Copper was used as the standard material, and the corrosion rates of copper were calculated using the weight loss method, electrochemical reduction method, and resistance method, respectively, to assess environmental corrosivity. A comprehensive comparison of the three evaluation methods was conducted in terms of testing principles, data variability, and application scenarios. The results indicate that the weight loss method and the electrochemical reduction method exhibited good data correlation, with relatively similar test results, whereas the resistance method yielded significantly higher corrosion rates in the early stages compared to the other two methods. Under long-term monitoring conditions, the data obtained by the three methods can be directly interchangeable. The weight loss method is straightforward to operate, with strong data intuitiveness and reliability. Due to the limitation of weighing accuracy, it is more suitable for evaluating long-term corrosion, thick corrosion products, and highly corrosive (harsh) environments. The electrochemical reduction method offers high testing precision, providing not only corrosion rate data but also insights into corrosion mechanisms, making it suitable for short-term or less severe (mild) environmental evaluations. The resistance method is simple to implement, enabling rapid acquisition of corrosion rate data and real-time online monitoring of corrosive environments.