A method for conductively bonding a printed circuit board to a metal back plate is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a dielectric substrate that is metallized on its two faces; providing a metallic back plate; and bonding the metallic back plate to one of the metallized faces of the substrate using an electrically conductive adhesive that includes an adhesive polymer and at least one conductive metal having an electromagnetic force (EMF) that is equal to or less than one volt. The present invention also relates to a printed circuit board assembly which includes printed circuit board which includes a dielectric substrate having a first circuitized metallic layer disposed on one opposing face of the substrate and a second metallic layer disposed on the other opposing face of said substrate; a metal back plate; and an electrically conductive bonding layer disposed between the plate and the second metallic layer of the printed circuit board. The electrically conductive bonding layer contains an adhesive polymer and a conductive metal having an EMF that is less than one volt. The electrically conductive bonding layer is substantially free of silver.