TAGS: Automotive Electrical & Electronics High Heat Materials K Show 2022
The new type of polycarbonate (PC) film, which Covestro will present to the industry at the K 2022 Plastics Trade Fair from October 19 to 26 in Düsseldorf, Germany, is just 15 micrometers thin.
Suitable for Track-etched Membrane Production
The previous lowest value for non-structured films from the established Makrofol
® brand was 125 micrometers. Thanks to a new extrusion process, the company can now significantly reduce this value. It offers the new film under the name Makrofol
® TF.
Ultrathin PC films are used, among other things, in the electronics industry: for the electrical insulation of capacitors or for the manufacture of flexible printed circuit boards. Until now, they could only be produced using the rather complex solvent cast film technology. With Makrofol
® TF, now there is an alternative with an ultrathin thermoplastic extrusion film.
But that's not all: The industry can also use the new film to produce very thin membranes, for example as sound transducers for loudspeakers. In particular, so-called track-etched membranes can be produced, which have pores with an application-specific, precisely defined size and density. To do this, the manufacturers of such membranes first irradiate films with heavy ions to create tracks.
In a second step, chemical etching creates the pores. Track-etched membranes have multiple applications in biology and diagnostics. They serve, for example, as filters in laboratory analysis or as cell culture substrates. The electrical and automotive industries also use track-etched membranes, for example, in systems for venting headlights, car batteries, or electronics housings.
Makrofol
® TF is a suitable material for the production of track-etched membranes: the transparent films are very homogeneous, inert with a uniform surface and isotropic mechanical properties. Other advantages of the PC material include its excellent resistance to heat, durability over a wide temperature range, and high optical clarity.
Related Read: Comprehensive Guide on Polycarbonate (PC)
Source: Covestro
