Introduction
Polyetherimide (PEI) is a high-performance engineering thermoplastic renowned for its excellent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Foshan Cailong New Material Co., Ltd. (DAFU) offers a specialized PEI film product that stands out for its balanced characteristics. This article delves into the technical data sheet of the PEI film, analyzing its physical, mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties to highlight its suitability for demanding industrial applications.
Detailed Property Analysis
1. Physical and Mechanical Stability
The PEI film exhibits a robust physical profile tailored for precision manufacturing:
- Dimensional Integrity: With a density of 1.27 g/cm³, the film maintains a compact form factor. Critically, it demonstrates minimal thermal shrinkage (0.3% at 200°C), ensuring that components remain dimensionally stable even under high-temperature processing or operational environments.
- Exceptional Strength: The material offers high tensile strength values, measuring 106 MPa in the Machine Direction (MD) and 110 MPa in the Transverse Direction (TD). This bidirectional strength, coupled with a significant ultimate elongation (60% MD / 106% TD), allows the film to withstand substantial mechanical stress and flexing without failure.
2. Superior Thermal Performance
One of the standout features of this PEI film is its ability to perform under extreme heat, a key requirement for many electronic and engineering applications:
- High Transition Temperatures: The film boasts an impressive Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of 217°C and a Vicat Softening Temperature of 215°C. This indicates its capacity to retain structural rigidity far beyond the melting points of common thermoplastics like PP or PE.
- Heat Deflection Resistance: It can withstand a Temperature of Deflection of 209°C under a 0.45MPa load, making it highly resistant to warping or sagging in high-temperature settings.
- Controlled Expansion: The low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (56 ppm/K below Tg) ensures that the film experiences minimal size change when exposed to heat, which is crucial for applications requiring tight tolerances.
3. Excellent Electrical Insulation
Designed for the electrical and electronics sector, the PEI film provides outstanding dielectric properties:
- High Dielectric Strength: Rated at 33 KV/mm (tested at 1.6mm thickness), the film acts as a formidable insulator, preventing electrical breakdown even in high-voltage environments.
- Superior Resistance: It exhibits a high Volume Resistivity of 10¹⁵ Ω·cm, effectively resisting the flow of electric current.
- Low Loss Characteristics: With a Dielectric Constant of 2.9 and a minimal Loss Tangent of 0.006 (both measured at 1MHz), the film minimizes energy dissipation as heat during high-frequency operations, enhancing the efficiency of electronic devices.
Conclusion
Cailong's PEI film is a premium material engineered for high-end applications where standard polymers fail. Its unique combination of high thermal resistance, strong mechanical properties, and excellent electrical insulation makes it an ideal candidate for advanced manufacturing.
This material is particularly well-suited for use in:
- Electronics: As insulating layers in high-frequency cables, connectors, and sockets.
- Automotive: Components exposed to high engine bay temperatures.
- Medical Devices: Where autoclaving (high-heat sterilization) is required due to its inherent flame retardancy and sterilizability.
