How Additives Help Meet Current E&E Trends: Part I

Electrical & Electronics market is one of the Top 3 markets for plastics industry. It is a large consumer of plastics and polymer additives.  Many modern consumer and industrial electronics applications would not be possible without their use.

New market requirements (miniaturization, weight reduction, fire safety regulations...) have led to several innovative plastics solution. Additives play an important role in achieving the desired performance and required needs.

• Property requirements of the final application,
• Compatibility with polymer and other additives,
• Regulations…

So what are the new trends and key requirements that are influencing additives selection? Let's take a look:

• Meeting Stricter Regulations on Flame Retardants

The risk of fire is imminent and fire-safe electrical parts are a must. And, to ensure consumer safety, stricter regulations have been placed on FR solutions. Environmentally safe solutions are the need of the hour.

• Growing use of Thermally Conductive Plastics in LEDs and new age electronics

LED lighting is a fast growing market. As per a recent report from McKinsey¹, the forecast for market size in 2020 is around EUR 83 Billion. Excellent optical and ageing properties are crucial. But the main challenge has been to achieve greater design flexibility, which is possible with thermally conductive plastics.

• Traceability of miniature electronic components

Counterfeit parts, defective components, product recalls are big issues in this market. Also, electrical parts are becoming smaller and smaller. These factors drive the need for traceability. Laser marking systems are ideal in providing the right solution.

• Replacing Metal with Electrically Conductive Plastics in ESD/EMI/RFI Applications

Plastics have traditionally been known to be electrical insulators. Thanks to certain additives, they can be rendered conductive and thereby replace metals. Their use leads to lightweight, corrosion-resistant and cheaper solutions.