September 04, 2024
DuPont: Your Ultimate Flexible Circuit Materials Partner
Developing today’s complex high-tech electronic devices requires engineers to incorporate a range of materials with unique properties designed to help enable advanced functionality. Laminates serve as the backbone for complex circuits built on both rigid and flexible substrates. They provide flex circuits with mechanical integrity while allowing them to be designed to fit into the available footprint. Choosing the right partner to develop and deliver these materials is crucial for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), designers and fabricators to enhance their products’ functionality and competitiveness.
A global leader in electronics materials and chemistries, DuPont has long been a leader in laminates for flexible and rigid-flex substrates and continues to stand out as a preferred partner in this highly competitive environment for many reasons. This post delves into the benefits of working with DuPont’s Interconnect Solutions division to meet a wide array of product design and performance requirements.
Superior quality, performance and reliability
DuPont’s Pyralux® flexible circuit materials are known for their exceptional performance and reliability. Critical for applications where flexible circuits are used, these benefits have been proven out by the company’s unmatched reliability testing, conducted consistently for more than four decades.
Pyralux® AP, the industry’s first flexible, adhesiveless laminate, is an all-polyimide double-sided copper-clad product that offers excellent thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties for many applications. The combination of Pyralux® AP with a Pyralux® coverlay, bondply and unsupported sheet adhesive creates a robust solution that has been used in many exciting projects, including NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers. Implementing this material into a design will help ensure that the products meet the highest standards. This reliability translates to longer lifespan and better performance of electronic devices, reducing the need for frequent replacements and repairs.
DuPont leverages advanced manufacturing processes to produce laminates with superior consistency and quality. Its proprietary technologies and stringent quality control measures result in materials that meet exacting specifications, reducing variability and improving yield rates for fabricators. Pyralux® LF, a flexible composite family of coverlay, bondply unsupported acrylic sheet adhesive and copper-clad laminate, exemplifies the high standards maintained through DuPont’s advanced manufacturing techniques. This consistency is crucial for mass production, where uniformity and quality are paramount.
Leading the way in technical support
DuPont provides comprehensive technical support to its partners. This support includes everything from material selection and design optimization to troubleshooting and process audits. For example, when working with Pyralux® FR, a flame-retardant, flexible composite family of coverlay, bondply unsupported sheet adhesive and copper-clad laminate, DuPont’s experts can guide customers on how to best utilize the material for specific applications. By working closely with DuPont’s experts, OEMs, designers and fabricators can optimize their manufacturing processes, improve product quality, and reduce time-to-market for automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial and other key applications.
In addition to the continually expanding the Pyralux® laminates family, the company provides comprehensive technical support to our partners through our regional sales offices. Our experienced sales and technical staff is always ready to discuss your application needs.
Value-added solutions
A standout feature of these laminates is their high-temperature resistance. Pyralux® HT, designed for extreme high-temperature applications, showcases the Pyralux® laminate family’s ability to withstand harsh environments. This property is particularly important in industries like automotive, aerospace, and industrial machinery, where components are exposed to extreme conditions. Pyralux® TK, designed for high-speed digital and high-frequency flexible circuits, is a double-sided copper-clad laminate with a proprietary layered dielectric, featuring Kapton® polyimide and fluoropolymer films. Pyralux® laminates maintain their integrity and performance under such conditions, providing OEMs and fabricators with peace of mind.
Understanding that one size does not fit all, DuPont offers customizable material solutions tailored to specific applications. Whether it’s adjusting the laminate properties or developing entirely new materials to meet unique requirements, DuPont’s flexibility and willingness to innovate make them an ideal partner. The Pyralux® AC series, for instance, offers single-sided adhesiveless copper-clad laminates that can be tailored for various applications, demonstrating DuPont’s commitment to meeting specific customer needs.
Innovation at the forefront
Investing heavily in research and development allows the company to stay ahead of the technological curve. Its team of experienced engineers and scientists constitutes a laminate technology brain trust that is second to none in pursuing ongoing innovations. Their efforts ensure that these products incorporate the latest advancements in material science to offer cutting-edge solutions to the market. Moreover, DuPont is investing to support ongoing development of products and technologies.
Pyralux® HP is specifically designed for OEMs and PCB design manufacturers. The epoxy-based adhesive system is an optimized low-loss, high-reliability solution suitable for multi-layer flex and rigid-flex PCBs implemented in military, telecommunications, automotive and medical applications.
The newest addition to the line of Pyralux® laminates is the Pyralux® ML series – the company’s polyimide product clad using metal alloys, with some iterations in combination with copper foils. The alloys afford thermal resistance, conductivity, and resistivity essential for thermal management of temperature-sensitive devices, such as flexible printed circuits, sensors, heaters and thermocouples – all essential to high-reliability applications, including aerospace, defense, electric vehicles (EVs), data centers, and artificial intelligence (AI), to name a few.
Conclusion
For OEMs, designers and fabricators seeking reliable, high-performance materials for flexible circuits, DuPont is an unrivaled partner. Its focus on continuous innovation, engineering expertise, value-added technology solutions, and extensive selection of superior laminate materials set it apart from the competition.
Our flexible circuit materials cater to a broad spectrum of applications, including all-polyimide, epoxy-adhesive, fluoropolymer-adhesive, and acrylic-based adhesive options. This range of options allows you to find the perfect material for you specific application without compromising on performance or cost.
By partnering with DuPont, you can enhance your product performance, streamline your manufacturing processes, and stay ahead in the competitive electronics market.
When the quality and reliability of materials can make or break a product, DuPont provides the assurance and excellence that companies need to succeed. Embrace the advantages of working with DuPont and take flexible circuit applications to the next level. Click here to get started!
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