Thermally conductive polymers conduct and disperse heat away from sensitive electronics and PCB components. There are many different available chemistries for the base material which include polyethylene, epoxy, and silicone chemistries among others. The choice of polymer generally involves matching of desired temperature resistance, hardness, and flexibility among others. Since polymers are normally thermally insulative, conductivity is achieved through the use of various fillers such as metallic or halogenated compounds.

Things are getting hotter out there, and it can’t all be blamed on global warming! As manufactured products continue to get smaller and lighter, there is often the undesired side effect of increased generation of heat. This is especially true in the electronics and power industries, but it is also a challenge faced in industries, including:

• Automotive/EV/Battery (Engines, brakes, assemblies…)
• White goods/appliances
• Medical devices and wearables
• Power generation and conversion/inversion
• Renewable energy manufacture and control
• And many others….

Thermally conductive polymers are adhesives, coatings, and films designed to transfer and conduct heat out and away from sensitive electronics. They protect sensitive components (such as integrated circuits) and can substantially improve product durability while reducing field failure rates. 

In previous discussions, we addressed the choice of material and application methods. That said, extensive experience in real-world situations has illuminated often overlooked properties that can be of great importance: 

Viscosity and Flow Rate

Electronics and PCB protection can be complex. There is rarely only one way to enhance your product’s durability and warranty performance. Humiseal conformal coatings provide excellent protection in demanding conditions that include thermal and mechanical shock, moisture and humidity, and liquid chemicals and vapor.   

Liquid optically clear adhesive (LOCA) is an essential component in the assembly of liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Its unique properties offer a multitude of advantages that enhance the efficiency, accuracy, optical clarity, and overall performance of the LCD assembly process. Among these advantages, the low viscosity of LOCA plays a particularly critical role in ensuring the production of high-quality LCD displays. 

Resin Designs TechFilm is a product line consisting of high-performance, partially cured epoxy adhesive films. These specialized film adhesives are designed as alternatives to two-part liquid epoxies. Techfilm advantages include clean, precise bond thickness and borders, low and high-temperature resiliency, and harsh environmental conditions resistance. 

An important question arises: what makes these films different than opting for traditional adhesive coatings? Let's review the unique strengths of TechFilm adhesives and discuss how to best implement their unique application process.

Epoxy chemistry is certainly not new, and this technology has proven itself across a wide range of industries and applications. Epoxies have demonstrated their value due to desirable characteristics, such as:

• Chemical and environmental resistance 
• Adhesion to a wide variety of substrates 
• Excellent peel and shear strength 
• Customizable open and curing times 
• Temperature resistance 

There are, however, challenges associated with the use of liquid, two-component epoxies. They can often require expensive and complex application equipment with precise mix ratio control. Liquid epoxies can also require fairly long curing times, making their use in higher volume circumstances less than ideal. Other than that, they can also be just plain messy! 

In order to address some of these weaknesses of liquid epoxies, an alternative approach is available in the form of B-stage epoxy films.

In our interconnected world, electronic devices have become an integral part of our daily lives. However, this surge in technological advancements has also given rise to electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues. EMI can disrupt the proper functioning of electronic devices, leading to performance degradation and potential damage. This is a very sensitive issue, especially in the aerospace and transportation industries. To combat this problem, multi-functional EMI shielding gaskets and ropes have emerged as an innovative solution. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of these shielding components and their significance in various industries.

Heat makes electronics age faster. That's nothing new. The control and management of heat has always been a critical consideration in the design of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electronic devices. What is relatively new, however, is the dramatic increases in voltages, currents, and processing speeds demanded by burgeoning industries.

HEAT! It's public enemy number one for modern electronics and (especially) printed circuit boards (PCBs). If you've been in the electronics game for as long as we have, you're probably saying "Heat has always been an issue we've dealt with, so what's changed?" For one, more tightly packed, heat-generating board components are being designed. Component spacing and trace gaps continue to shrink like vacant land in Manhattan.