Methods for protecting an electronic device from contaminants by applying different polymeric materials to different vital components of a device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying a first polymer, such as an acrylic-based polymer, to one or more connectors and components located on the printed circuit board of the device. The method further comprises applying a second polymer, such as a silicone-based polymer, to different connectors and components on the printed circuit board. The method leads to different components being coated with a different polymers, without the need for multilayer coatings on any component. Electronic devices that are protected by such polymeric, hydrophobic coatings are also disclosed. Non-limiting examples of such devices include smart phones, computers, and gaming devices.

A printed circuit board comprises a support structure, a conductive layer operably coupled to the support structure, a mask structure formed on the conductive layer, and a cover layer. The conductive layer comprises first and second portions of conductive material separated by a gap that defines a spacing between the first and second portions that does not contain conductive material. The mask structure defines first and second regions on the conductive layer. The first region is enclosed by a first boundary defined by the mask structure and includes the gap. The second region lies outside of the first boundary. The cover layer is sized to fit within the first region and comprises a laminatible insulating material that flows within the first region during lamination. During lamination, the first boundary prevents the laminatible insulating material from flowing into the second region, and the laminatible insulating material flows to fill the gap.