what is the big difference is between pink ESD foam and black ESD foam? The differences are significant, although one is not necessarily better than the other. Which one you choose depends on what your needs are.
Pink Static Dissipative Foam
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Static dissipative polyurethane <1011 ohms
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Antistatic low charging – minimizing electrostatic charge generation
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Provides protection from physical shock during handling, packaging, shipping, and storage of ESD sensitive devices
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Ideal for short term use
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Easy to adapt for custom uses by die-cutting, laminating, etc.
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Non-contaminating, non-corrosive, and non-sloughing
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Economical
Usage Consideration
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Not recommend for lead insertion applications
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When exposed to the environment, the foam will discolor (turn yellow) over time
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Will lose electrical properties over time
Black Conductive Foam
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Conductive polyurethane 1 x 103 to < 1 x 105 ohms per ANSI/ESD STM11.11
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Low density conductive polyurethane foam
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Permanently conductive; will not lose electrical properties – can be used in applications where permanent ESD properties are required
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Provides protection from physical shock during handling, packaging, shipping, and storage of ESD sensitive devices
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Foam will not discolor over time
Usage Consideration
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Better value for long term applications
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Not recommended in applications where Static Dissipative properties are required
While each foam is made of the same material (polyurethane), they have very distinct differences. Which one you use will depend on the application of the foam, how long you intend to use the foam, and even cost considerations.
