Special Feature Epoxy resins/curing agents for electronic substrate

Even convenient tools that support the information society must be considerate to the environment.

Social Imperative Electronic materials that produce less environmental impact in the disposal process

Information communication devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, PCs, and tablet terminals, etc. are composed of many electronic components. After their use, most of them are recycled. However, inappropriately burying or incinerating substances which are used to enhance the performance sometimes produce harmful substances. Regulations have been stipulated in various countries and regions for contained substances.

Under such circumstances, manufacturers that make semiconductor packages are replacing “solder,” which is used to fix electronic components on substrate, with “lead-free solder” without harmful lead. However, lead-free solder is installed at a higher temperature than the traditional solder, which means that high heat resistance is required in the substrate materials (epoxy resins).

On the other hand, flame retardant and halogen composites had been used for the substrate materials in order to prevent fire from heating in high density circuits, etc. However, due to the fact that dioxin production is a concern when halogen is burnt in disposal, substrate materials that can secure the flame retardannt property without using halogen composites (halogen-free) are required.

Epoxy resins/curing agents for electronic substrate
Semiconductor package

Semiconductor package

Epoxy resins/curing agents for electronic substrate

DIC's initiative Development of environmentally-conscious high-functioning epoxy resins and curing agents that simultaneously achieve high heat resistance and flame retardancy

Highly Infomationor-ientedsociety Reduction of substances that harm the environment

Epoxy resins are thermoset synthetic resins that are highly reactive. They cure when mixed with curing agents. Combining resins and curing agents achieves properties, such as exceptional molding property, heat resistance, electrical insulating property, and adhesive property, etc. They are utilized in various industries. DIC provides a wide variety of products (product name: EPICLON series) in the electronic material field as Japan’s largest epoxy resin manufacturer.

Under such circumstances, the “high heat resistance,” which responds to lead-free solder, and “high flame retardancy,” which responds to halogen-free materials, are opposite characteristics; therefore, simultaneously achieving both was not easy. DIC resolved this difficult issue by using the advantage of the vertical integration system in which the process from molecular designing of raw material (phenol resin) until manufacturing of epoxy resin, within the same plant. Furthermore, we also achieved controlling of the thermal expansion rate and the property of preventing “warpage of substrate,” which can cause insulation failure.

The resulting environmentally-friendly epoxy resins/curing agents are utilized in representative smartphones and PCs worldwide.

DIC’s vertical integration system epoxy resin business

DIC’s vertical integration system epoxy resin business

VOICE

Development for the optimal organic materials required in thermal management

Polymer Technical Group 5 Polymer Technical Div. 1 Manager Kazuro Arita

The knowledge/technologies gained in the course of developing the resins/curing agents that simultaneously achieve high heat resistance and flame retardation property can be applied not only to “thermoset resins,” such as epoxy resins, but also to “thermoplastic resins (PPS and ABS resins, etc.) that become flexible with heat. These resins are utilized in a wide variety of uses, such as chassis of PCs, printers and TVs as well as components installed in automobiles, etc. Power semiconductors are especially starting to lean toward high output in components installed in automobiles due to the shift toward high-functioning vehicles, such as hybrid vehicles, etc. Further heat resistance and flame retardation property are required in peripheral components. DIC has positioned car electronics as a strategic area in the “DIC105,” which is the new medium-term management plan. We will provide the optimal organic materials for thermal management pursued by automobile manufacturers and take a part of the automobile society with less environmental impact.

Polymer Technical Group 5 Polymer Technical Div. 1 Manager Kazuro Arita

Capabilities to create new substances without being entrenched with existing concepts/methods

Polymer Technical Group 5 Polymer Technical Div. 1 Koji Hayashi

The reason why DIC was able to realize original high–performance epoxy resins and curing agents is because we have never stopped taking on challenges with the aim of achieving new properties without being entrenched with existing concepts/methods. For example, we spent over 10 years developing/cultivating the “phosphorus-unit introduction technology” and the “active ester curing system,” etc. in order to commercialize materials with dielectric properties, with which electricity is not easily accumulated, based on the basic theory in order to industrialize them in a stable manner. Although we could not even imagine the explosive growth of smartphones at the time, epoxy resins with great dielectric properties are absolute necessity in order to simultaneously achieve thinner units and high density circuits in product structures without cooling fans to control the heat.

Polymer Technical Group 5 Polymer Technical Div. 1 Koji Hayashi

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Inks/adhesives for food packaging

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Epoxy resins/curing agents for electronic substrate

Epoxy resins/curing agents for electronic substrate

Even convenient tools that support the information society must be considerate to the environment.

TOPICS

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