Polyimide (PI) films are made of a polymer of imide monomer, known as, polyimide. These films are widely used in the production of heat resistant electronics components, such as pressure-sensitive tape, flexible printed circuit (FPC), and wires, due to their exceptional chemical resistance, high dielectric constant, and excellent temperature resistance. In addition, these films are also used in aerospace engineering and photovoltaics domain, owing to their high heat resistance, low thermal expansion, and great mechanical strength.
Other properties of polyimide films such as low weight, excellent tensile strength, flexibility, durability, water sorption, and damp-proof usage also make them viable for the electronics, industrial, aerospace, military, and medical sectors. Moreover, the cost-effectiveness and cut-through resistance characteristic of such films have led to their largescale usage in these industries.
In recent years, PI films have replaced epoxy resins, polyurethanes, and polycarbonates in the production of flexible printed circuit (FPC), due to their blend of chemical, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. Further, the high thermal resistance imparted by PI films to FPCs makes them viable for applications subject to high heat generation. Moreover, such films have numerous applications in the production of light weight and compact FPC assemblies.
Apart from this, the usage of PI films has also significantly surged in traction motors, generators, and transformers, as they are used to create a buffer against the corona discharge effect.The surging usage of such films in the electronics, automotive, and aerospace industries has encouraged PI film manufacturers to launch new products and focus on mergers and acquisitions.
According to P&S Intelligence, Asia-Pacific (APAC) consumed the highest quantity of PI films in the past, and it is expected to adopt these films at the fastest pace in the upcoming years. This can be attributed to the burgeoning demand for PI film-based flexible electronic devices in the region. As the manufacturing facilities of foundries and semiconductors are the major end-users of PI films, the expansion of these production units in Japan, Taiwan, and China will augment the usage of these films in the region in the coming years.
Whereas, North America held the second position in the polyimide films market in the recent past, due to the escalating usage of PI tapes in the high-tech aerospace industry, increasing application of PI films in the medical sector, and burgeoning demand for insulation tape for producing automotive components in the region. Besides, the increasing product innovations made by major polyimide product manufacturers also augmented the usage of PI films in the region during the last few years.
Thus, the soaring usage of PI films in the electronics, aerospace, and automotive sectors, owing to their excellent chemical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics, is augmenting their production across the world.
