Deciphering Silicone Applications in Electronics

Silicones are ushering in lifestyles in the electronic age in many ways. Silicones are used in the manufacture of cell phones, the Internet, wireless computers, and smart cards.

High-performance materials made with silicone technology are finding their way into today's ever-increasing and demanding fields of electronics and appliances. Silicones can seal and protect extremely sensitive circuits, semiconductors and equipment from heat, contamination and accidental damage, and help ensure the continuous supply of power.

Protect equipment

Silicone can provide a perfect sealing function to protect extremely sensitive electronic components and components from external contamination or movement. This is of great significance for ensuring the long-term stability and performance of many electronic products. In addition, silicone material do not corrode or spontaneously ignite, and meet the most stringent safety and purity requirements in the production and manufacture of electronic products.

Silicone's isolating properties help protect the circuitry of televisions, computers, and aircraft video displays from heat, dirt, and dust. At the same time, silicones are well suited for high-voltage applications, insulating above- and below-ground cables and power supply lines.

Enhance performance

As electronic devices become thinner, smaller, and faster, the excellent physical properties of silicone make it useful in new applications: high and low temperature stability, excellent insulation, strength, Elasticity and toughness, moisture resistance, chemical stability, UV resistance and other environmental characteristics, can bond and protect a variety of materials.

Typical application

Silicone sealants, adhesives and conformal coatings can be used for basic components of most consumer and commercial electronic equipment, consumer electronics, LEDs, semiconductors, circuits, connectors, capacitors, coils, transistors and picture tubes, etc., mainly The usage is as follows.

1. Basic components

Silicones insulate extremely sensitive automotive electronics. Silicones help protect the performance of electronic components at extreme temperatures from humidity, salt and other corrosive environments. Silicones help ensure reliable operation of electronic components in air bags, body components, braking systems, ignition, fuel, air systems and transmissions.

2. Consumer Electronics

Consumer electronics refers to electronic devices that can be used by consumers on a daily basis, usually with advantages such as small size, light weight, simple operation and energy-saving design. According to different functions, consumer electronics products in the traditional sense can be divided into three categories: entertainment products, communication products, and home office products, and their outer edge continues to expand, like white goods, baby furniture, etc. The functions also show a trend of diversification.

In recent years, driven by factors such as the continuous development of mobile Internet technology, the improvement of the manufacturing level of consumer electronics products and the increase of residents' income level, the consumer electronics industry has shown a continuous and stable development trend. The data shows that the market scale of the global consumer electronics industry presents a long-term upward development trend. In the future, with the integration of emerging technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and new displays, and consumer electronics products, it will accelerate product upgrading and give birth to New product forms have promoted the growth of the consumer electronics industry. Consumer electronics are becoming miniaturized, thinner, and smarter. The investment in communication base station equipment brought by 5G commercial use and the vigorous development of power batteries are expected to greatly stimulate the demand for thermally conductive materials. Thermally conductive materials have good market prospects.

3. LED

With the rapid development of the domestic LED industry and the improvement of LED chip technology and LED packaging technology, the demand for LED packaging adhesives has increased significantly. Domestic LED packaging adhesive products have fully replaced imported packaging adhesives in the low-end and mid-range fields.

The high-end market is also showing a trend of import substitution. China has become the world's largest LED production base.

4. household appliances

Automatic coffee makers, digital answering machines, microwave ovens, steam irons, stereo systems, televisions, washing machines, vacuum cleaners—virtually every household appliance has electronic components protected with silicones, extending their lifespan . With silicones, home appliances are safer, more reliable and require less maintenance. Silicones have also enabled the creation of new "smart appliances" with smaller electronic systems and more advanced functions.

5. Semiconductor

Silicone can be used for potting and protecting semiconductors - essential components of almost all electronic devices. High-voltage/power applications such as industrial motors, locomotives, and power supplies requiring high-voltage switches: High-frequency communications such as mobile phone base stations, satellites, and radars: High-temperature applications such as aircraft engines, oil drilling, and automotive electronics (including sensors to control fuel efficiency and emissions): Semiconductors are needed to operate these devices.

Silicones can extend the life of electronic products. Even under the harshest conditions, silicones retain their properties against wear and tear. Therefore, it has become the best building block for durable goods such as computers, automobiles, airplanes and household appliances. Silicone sealants and adhesives provide the consumers demanded durability and longevity.