Downloads
TOKYO, Japan, June 19, 2017– Solvay, a leading global supplier of specialty polymers, is supplying KetaSpire® PEEK (polyetheretherketone) to Shin-Etsu Polymer for the manufacture of its ultra-thin, high-performance Shin-Etsu Sepla Film®, with thicknesses ranging from 3-9 µm (0.11-0.35 mils), which is widely used in speaker diaphragms for mobile devices and loudspeakers, and other related consumer goods such as headphones and microphones.
“KetaSpire® PEEK’s unique combination of excellent mechanical properties, high temperature tolerance, high purity, flame retardancy, and superior resistance to wear, abrasion and fatigue meets the stringent performance requirements for Shin-Etsu Sepla Film®,”says Kazuhiro Kiroko, Managing Director for Solvay Specialty Polymers Japan K.K. “Also, the processing ease of Solvay’s PEEK has enabled Shin-Etsu Polymer to optimize its fabrication process and develop a broad range of grades and gauges to help boost market end-use growth.”
Thanks to its ability to minimize acoustic output distortion and suitability for post-lamination, Shin-Etsu Sepla Film® is already used extensively in speaker diaphragms in smartphones and other mobile devices. “Consumers are demanding better sound quality, and our ultra-thin film helps optimize acoustic performance through more effective resonance concerning volume and loudness,”says Katsuhiko Seriguchi, Director GM, Group II Sales & Marketing Division IV at Shin-Etsu Polymer. “Our ultra-thin film technology is also being used to develop and grow end-use applications in other industrial market segments.”
Shin-Etsu Polymer’s advanced technology allows the manufacture of non-stretched Shin-Etsu Sepla Film® in gauges ranging from 3-50 μm (0.11-1.96 mils) to 6-50 µm (0.23-1.96 mils) with low and high crystallization, respectively. The company also manufactures films with thicker gauges of up to 250 µm (9.84 mils) to meet specific customer requirements. In response to growing demand for high-performance polymer film, Shin-Etsu Polymer installed new equipment to expand capacity at its Tokyo plant (Saitama City) and offer film with widths ranging from 650-1300 mm (25.5-51 inches).
Shin-Etsu Sepla Film® is also suitable for applications in a wide range of industries that include electrical wiring insulation and other insulative applications such as in cable wrapping, automotive components, electronic circuit boards, aerospace, robotics, and medical devices. Because of its high-temperature performance, Shin-Etsu Sepla Film® can be used as a masking material for lead-free soldering in electronic applications.
® KetaSpire is a registered trademark of Solvay
® Shin-Etsu Sepla Film is a registered trademark of Shin-Etsu Polymer
Follow us on twitter @SolvayGroup
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures over 1500 products across 35 brands of high-performance polymers – fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra-high performance polymers, and high barrier polymers – for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil and Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire & Cable, and other industries. Learn more at www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com.
Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers in diverse global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in planes, cars, smart and medical devices, batteries, in mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications promoting sustainability. Its lightweighting materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 27,000 employees in 58 countries. Net sales were € 10.9 billion in 2016, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world’s top 3 leaders. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program.
Shin-Etsu Polymer was established as the subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical, an industry leader in PVC and semiconductor silicone products in 1960. With its core technologies of PVC and silicone rubber processing, Shin-Etsu Polymer develops and supplies a variety of products to leading companies in consumer electronics, electric components, semiconductor, automotive, construction markets worldwide through corporate's global network. Our mission and advantages are to meet customers' demanding as well as develop and supply high value products to the market by using corporate's materials compound and processing technologies. Shin-Etsu Polymer is now recognized as the premier business partner from industry leaders worldwide.
