Trilene® Liquid EPDM For Conformal Coatings & Potting
What is Lion Trilene®?
Lion Elastomers Trilene® is a family of low molecular weight liquid elastomeric polymers based on ethylene-propylene copolymers and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers. Trilene® is a nonpolar, noncrystalline, elastomeric material that allows tight molecular packing, which results in low permeability to gases and water vapor.
Why Trilene® For Conformal Coatings & Potting Compounds?
Within the interior of electronic devices like a printed circuit board (PCB), it is essential to have protection from moisture and possible chemical corrosion and changes in thermal temperature. Furthermore, Lion Elastomers EPDM exhibits outstanding hydrophobic capabilities and provides dielectric strength to PCB applications.
Trilene® provides a variety of functional properties and features that make it useful in electronics such as conformal coatings and potting applications such as excellent low-temperature flexibility, improved repairability, low viscosity, low moisture permeability, and superior chemical and weathering resistance. The conformal coating must not only be able to protect the electric circuit board from chemicals, corrosion, moisture, and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Liquid EPDM
EPDM Molecule
EPDM Dispersion
Flexibility and Low Compression Set:
Trilene® offers excellent flexibility at low temperatures due to its low molecular weight and viscosity that makes it ideal for use on delicate electrical components and compounds. Trilene® also features excellent mechanical strength and resistance to strains and compression deformation for an extended coating lifetime.
Easier Removal and Repair:
Conformal coatings, made with Trilene® liquid EPDM polymers, are lighter and easier to test, repair, and remove compared to many other elastomeric resins used in conformal coatings. The reversible polymer allows maintenance and repairs to expensive electronic parts instead of total discard and part replacement.
Dielectric Strength:
Trilene® provides better electrical properties than silicone and urethane elastomers. It offers an electric resistance of greater than 106 ohm-cm and dielectric constants of 2.2 to 2.4 volts per mil. Therefore, conformal coatings made with Trilene®, exhibit excellent insulation properties and are less susceptible to electrical breakdowns in harsh environments.
Chemical Resistance:
Avoidance of chemical degradation may have previously been desired in critical functioning devices like in aerospace applications. But electronics have seen various technological changes where consumer demand dictated smaller, wearable and longer lasting electronic devices. Compared to competitive conformal coating resins, EPDM allows for chemical impermeability within the PCB.
Low Moisture Permeability:
Trilene® liquid EPDM polymers are hydrophobic and ideal for waterproof coatings. They exhibit ultra-low moisture permeability up to 40 times compared to natural rubber, nitrile rubber, and silicone compounds. The low moisture absorption makes the Trilene® polymers less susceptible to electrical property losses making it ideal for high humidity environments and applications.
Liquid EPDM based films have very low moisture vapor transmission rates compared with other materials. MVTR is controlled through formulation where required.
Superior Stability, Adhesion, and Resistance:
Trilene® polymers offer outstanding thermal stability. It lasts about 15 times longer than either liquid polyisoprenes or polybutadienes in aging tests at 177ºC (350ºF). The liquid EPDM polymers also provide excellent adhesion to a variety of substrates and exceptional resistance to degradation by heat, light, UV, ozone, and other weathering conditions.
Cure Time and Productivity:
Trilene® polymers offer a combination of accelerated cure rate and improved aging strength not previously available with liquid hydrocarbon elastomers. Due to their low-temperature curability, Trilene® enables faster curing cycles and higher productivity. The liquid EPDM polymers can be crosslinked using peroxide, sulfur, and resin cure systems.
A number of Trilene® grades are available to allow the optimum selection of cure rate and aging resistance balance for each formulation:
Can liquid EPDM polymers be used as additives to other polymers?
Yes, Trilene® liquid EPDM copolymers and terpolymers can be used to modify the flow characteristics and improve the processing of high molecular weight elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, and general plastics. Trilene® liquid EPDM dispersions are also ideal for use in waterborne coatings and low VOC formulations.
