Conductive PlasticsInterpretation
Conductive plastics is the resin as matrix and conductive additive mixed with a plastic molding processing method for processing functional polymer materials. Generally speaking, there are four kinds of conductive objects form: insulators, semiconductors, conductors and superconductors. Conductive Plastic realized conductors from insulators to semiconductors and then to the great changes is that all substances able to complete the span of the biggest changes this possibility. Compared with the conventional materials, it has a light weight, easy to shape, adjustable resistance and other characteristics, and can be easily by molecular design and synthesis into a variety of structures or composite material. In accordance with conductive properties conductive plastics can be divided into: Insulation, anti-static body, conductive body and a high conductive body; according to production methods can be divided into structured conductive plastics and composite conductive plastic; by end-use can be divided into anti-static materials, electrical materials and electromagnetic shielding materials.
We has already begun conducting R & D and manufacturing plastic products, is the early production of conductive plastic products in our factory.
Applications
Conductive plastics can be widely used in electronic / microelectronic devices, communication devices, medical equipment, petrochemical, military, aerospace and other fields of electrical and electronic components of the anti-electromagnetic interference (EMI / RFI) and antistatic (ESD) .
Conductive additives commonly used classification
1, enhancer: conductive carbon fiber, conductive graphite fiber, nickel-plated carbon fiber, nickel-plated graphite fibers, stainless steel fibers, etc.
2, filler: conductive carbon black, metal powder, aluminum foil, migratory antistatic agents, permanent anti-static agent
The performance characteristics of electromagnetic shielding conductive plastics
►Surface Resistivity: 0.5 ~ 250Ω/sq
►Shielding effectiveness (30MHz - 10GHz): 40dB ~ 85 dB
►Density (g/cm3): 1.2 ~ 1.5
►Tensile Strength (MPa): 90.5
►Bending strength (MPa): 150
►Flexural modulus (MPa): 2750
►The working environment: -40 °C ~ 90 °C
►Flame rating: UL 94 V-0
►Colors: black, gray, etc.
Comparison of metal materials, the advantages of conductive plastics
►Surface Resistivity: 0.5 ~ 250Ω/sq
►Shielding effectiveness (30MHz - 10GHz): 40dB ~ 85 dB
►Density (g/cm3): 1.2 ~ 1.5
►Tensile Strength (MPa): 90.5
►Bending strength (MPa): 150
►Flexural modulus (MPa): 2750
►The working environment: -40 °C ~ 90 °C
►Flame rating: UL 94 V-0
►Colors: black, gray, etc.
Comparison of metal materials, the advantages of conductive plastics
►Shielding effectiveness of the decision according to product requirements;
►Low density, so that weight reduction;
►Good corrosion resistance, long life;
►Machinable structure is more complex products;
►No secondary processing, waste less, fast delivery;
►Production loss is small, lower production costs;
►Seam does not require shielding gasket to reduce the installation time and costs;
►Light weight, reduce transportation costs.
Conductive Plastics and Aluminum Alloy Performance Comparison
Metallic materials is still is by far the most widely used electromagnetic shielding materials, mainly through reflection loss shielded, absorb little or no loss. Its main advantages are: high strength, toughness is good, conductive, magnetic, good thermal conductivity, shielding effectiveness of high, but its Achilles heel is also very obvious: high energy consumption, shielding is not adjustable, high density, easy corrosion, poor shape , the body feels bad (in particular, is to produce a shielded room), and is widely used in chassis shield exists when processing complex issues, resulting in high costs, which have been gradually replaced by new type of electromagnetic shielding materials.
Conductive plastic is filled with conductive filler and the polymer composite made of composite materials, is the most extensive study of a new electromagnetic shielding materials, its shielding through reflection (in particular, 10 GHz below) and transmission loss caused by the absorption of losses to achieve.
Its advantages stand out:
►Forming a one-processing, processing process is short, easy to mass;
►When the product end of life, the main component can be recycled, rather than the coating or coated with metal layers of items need to deal with expensive stripping completely solve the recovery problem;
►s the second after the surface functional shielding materials to market the new shielding materials, but also the present and the future of the most important and most promising high-performance electromagnetic shielding materials.
From the 20th century began to 80 years, conductive plastic widespread concern on the stand it, the United States, Britain and Japan and other countries started early and rapid development, has introduced a number of varieties of the market, and in many areas (such as automotive and electronics industries , etc.) to gradually replace the commonly used aluminum and its alloys. Here are filled on aluminum and its alloy and plastic shielding a simple comparison.
(A) SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS
Conductive plastics, as a new class of composite materials, the electromagnetic shielding, shielding effectiveness can be adjusted between the 30-90dB, and the thickness of the product can be used to adjust the shielding effectiveness, these products are both conductive thermoplastics, there are paramagnetic, their EMI shielding level exceeds the surface conductivity test performance. Parts of the surface conductivity test results are not representative of its overall shielding performance. Of any EMI shielding effectiveness of the overall shield are equal to reflection and absorption losses. Conductivity, permeability, thickness and frequency the greater the attenuation produced by absorption of the greater. Conductivity the greater the frequency the lower the reflection loss will be. Its permeability far more than commonly used EMI shielding materials. Aluminum and magnesium alloy and other materials commonly used for shielding in accordance with its electrical conductivity, has little or no permeability. EMI shielding through reflection (in particular, the following 10GHz), and depth of penetration caused by the absorption to achieve. Permeability of this product at all frequencies to pass through the enhanced absorption to enhance the shielding effectiveness. Enhanced absorption shield better than the reflection loss decreases, and therefore such applications, this product is an appropriate choice.
With the surface coating (eg, vacuum deposition of Al, Ni / Cu metal plating or conductive paint) than a higher level of conductive plastics can provide the same conductivity, reflection loss of the same. Because the permeability and thickness of the shielding caused by absorption is significantly higher. Used as structural elements, the thickness of at least greater than the coating. The absorption is proportional to the thickness of shielding and so this product is superior to surface coatings. Conductive plastics products, nickel, graphite and carbon fiber content itself with the loss of property.
(B) CORROSION RESISTANCE
Conductive plastics often use high-performance engineering plastics (eg ABS + PC, etc.) as a substrate, has a very excellent chemical resistance, processability and low energy consumption. Has a very strong resistance to corrosion, making it a harsh environment ideal for outdoor applications. After 360 hours of salt spray exposure (5% NaCl solution, 35TC, 95% relative humidity [ASTM B117]), electrical and shielding effectiveness of any changes not occurred. The use of high-performance, in which the stability of nickel-plated carbon fiber and nickel-plated graphite powder itself has a direct result of corrosion resistance. Now, conductive plastic shield is no longer the need for costly painting or plating secondary processing in order to achieve stability in harsh environments.
(C) REDUCE THE WEIGHT
Conductive plastic products most commonly used metal parts when they were under the quarter. The density of 1.2 to 1.4 g/cm3, the density of aluminum (2.7 g/cm3) of the half, and far less than other commonly used metal density. Light weight, coupled with thin-wall molding to 1.0 mm or half of the aluminum die casting, making parts and reduce the weight 75%. Although due to significant reduction in density, but it must be greater than red curved wall thickness stainless steel metal parts, but its weight can be 50% lighter than stainless steel parts. For the re-min transport or handheld device applications, can help to reduce weight and cost savings.
(D) PARTS COST COMPARISON
For the same volume of parts and components, the conductive plastic raw material cost than the aluminum alloy is slightly higher, but looking from the processing costs, due to the more complex process aluminum alloy processing (metals > heat > casting > precision forging (cold extrusion, cold forging, hot forging) > machining > precision cutting > polishing > sandblasting > drawing > laser laser engraving > anodized color > many secondary oxidation color), while relatively simple conductive plastics processing technology (Fiber surface metallization > Plastic-coated > Granulation > Injection > Forming > Process color, etc.), less demanding to processing equipments, processing cycle is short, high production efficiency, process cost is relatively low. Comprehensive comparison of raw materials and processing costs when the shape of a simple component, the conductive plastic parts and aluminum prices are pretty, when the complex shape components, the conductive plastic parts and components less than the price of aluminum.
(E) THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
COMPARISON ABS / PC and other engineering plastics production of energy consumption (including raw material) is well below the energy consumption of aluminum alloy material.
(F) COMPARISON OF DESIGNING
Although the 30-1680MHz within the conductive plastic shielding is difficult beyond the aluminum alloy, but the latter do not have the shielding performance can be designed nature. For example, in low frequency within the reach aluminum shielding design requirements, to include the conductive plastic composite materials, including one of the main features can be designed with nature, in other words, through the incorporation of special components can be conductive plastics The composition of the deployment, thereby shielding in various frequency bands for their performance adjusted to meet different application requirements.
(G) CONCLUSION Through
the above comparison we can see many aspects, conductive plastic with a light-weight, high strength, corrosion-resistant, high temperature, low cost, easy processing characteristics, has widespread applications. Its performance, cost (especially the complex components), etc. have the advantages of aluminum alloy material can not be replaced, will be other aspects of the electronics industry and has a very broad and optimistic about the prospect, from conductive plastic replace the current widely used in electronics industry The metal chassis and spare parts will become the future market trends.