Going Beyond What Other Barrier Coatings Can Offer: 5 Benefits of Parylene
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Parylene is a protective, conformal polymer coating or film material that is commonly used as a moisture and dielectric barriers. It can protect different component configuration on metal, glass, paper, resin, plastic, ceramic, among other substrates. In simple terms, parylene is a ultra-thin polymer coating that is essentially useful as a surface treatment for any shape, edge, crevice and recess, and provides effective and complete barrier protection when compared to traditional coatings. It’s used in a number of industries, including aerospace, electronic automotive and the medical field. Parylene provides several specific benefits that show why it’s a high-value coating. Let’s look at five of these benefits.
- Solves Dry Friction
Parylene is known for its highly lubricous dry film properties, which makes it unnecessary to have liquid release agents to support lubrication. The lubricity of parylene dramatically reduces frictional forces, notably on medical devices, improving functional performance and operational life. The coefficient of friction measurements for parylene is low, which makes parylene a valuable asset that provides wear and abrasion resistance. Furthermore, parylene generally provides superior hydrophobicity, meaning it repels water, making it seldomly flake or dissociates when used.
- Environmental Protection
When it comes to environmental protection, parylene has a reputation as the best conformal coating, especially as it pertains to high-reliability applications. It offers extraordinary protection in the most extreme environmental conditions, providing pinhole-free coatings and perfect conformity to all surfaces, whether exposed or hidden. Specifically, parylene protects surfaces from moisture, chemicals, gases, fungus, corrosive elements and temperature in a manner that is superior to most other coatings.
- Biocompatibility
In the medical industry, parylene is a high-value coating material that commonly receives first consideration because of its biocompatibility and invaluable inertness that’s ideal for medical applications. Parylene is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meeting USP Class VI and ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards for use on a growing range of medical coating applications, and in many instances, human implantable devices. The biomedical applications of parylene are possible, in part, because of its compatibility with bodily tissues and fluids and its effectiveness in sealing the micro porosity of substrates that helps to keep contaminants at bay.
- Barrier Protection
As a conformal polymer coating, parylene has exceptional barrier properties, providing protection from unwanted incursion through a reduction in permeability. Parylene is ultra-thin, pinhole-free and conforms to substrates in an even manner and consistently as well. It’s resistant to chemicals, moisture, solvents and corrosives, features minimal thermal expansion and maintain assembly function while under operating conditions.
- Dielectric Strength
Parylene has a combination of extremely high dielectric strength, along with low dielectric constant and dissipation factor properties. These features allow for the development of smaller and greater compact electronics. Parylene with higher dielectric strength has better insulation effectiveness in resisting dielectric breakdown, offering protection from internal and external electrical interference.
Parylene coating is a versatile material that can be applied to just about all surfaces, from metals to glass. It is a high-value conformal barrier coating that is deemed to be of a far better quality than the typical traditional barrier coating options. Parylene conformal coating offer a range of benefits and is useful in several different industries. It can be used to solve dry friction, provide environmental protection, as well as barrier protection, biocompatibility and dielectric strength. Parylene is going beyond what traditional barrier coatings can offer and provide enhanced barrier protection that makes it the number one choice for many.
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