2 Apr 2004

GE ADVANCED MATERIALS TARGETS WORLDWIDE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY WITH FIRST-GENERATION PEI FILMS BASED ON X GEN™ RESIN TECHNOLOGY

NEW FILMS MADE FROM ULTEM® RESIN OFFER COST-PERFORMANCE ALTERNATIVE TO PI FILM IN KEY GLOBAL SECTORS

BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands — GE Advanced Materials, a division of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), today introduced ULTEM™ 1000B, ULTEM 5000B, and ULTEM EXSP0023 films. This new family of products is based on the company’s X GEN™ resin technology, a recently launched resin portfolio that pushes high-end polymer performance to even greater levels. The polyetherimide (PEI) films are characterized by their excellent temperature and electrical property performance. The company has stated that the materials are the first in a line of new PEI films based on the X GEN resin technology.

The new ULTEM films offer high performance across a broad range of demanding applications, bridging the gap between lower performing and more costly materials.

They are generally well suited for use in various electronics applications where superior performance, economics, and durability are required.

The PEI films are targeted at several industries where GE Advanced Materials sees promising penetration and growth for the products, particularly the global electronics industry. Flexible circuits, for example, is an area where GE predicts strong growth during the next three-to-five years and where – because of the thermoplastic self-sealing properties of the new products – there is potential to eliminate the use of adhesives. With other strong and accelerating drivers such as component miniaturization, molding in increasingly thinner walls, higher heat requirements, and OEM demand for higher quality film technologies, applications for the new films in mobile phones, lap-top computers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other electronic devices are expected to increase, as well.

“The global fit for these new products is very broad,” said Nick Abbatiello, GE Advanced Materials industry manager, Global Marketing. “They cut across a wide swath of applications where exceptional properties – especially superior high-heat and electrical performance – are key. We’re looking at everything from the electronics and electrical industries to healthcare, automotive, and others where a balanced cost-performance alternative to polyimide (PI) film is needed.”

According to Abbatiello, other potential applications for the new PEI films include bar code labels, flexible heaters, stiffeners, insulative tapes, motor insulation, speaker cones, wire wrapping, and a wide array of thermoformable products.

“We can’t overemphasize how pleased we are to be able to offer these new films to our customers,” said Ed Martin, GE Advanced Materials market director for Consumer Electronics, Portables & Displays. “They represent a value-added technology that the marketplace has been demanding for quite some time.”

ULTEM EXSP0023 film offers the highest heat performance of the three new grades. With a glass-transition temperature (Tg) of 245C, it also has a dielectric strength of 4,700 volts/mil and good tear resistance. It is heat sealable and offers good overall adhesion to most metals. This product also provides excellent chemical resistance and a low dielectric constant of 2.9 when tested at 10 GHz.

ULTEM 5000B film is the second of the three new materials in high-heat performance, with a Tg of 225C. In addition, it offers exceptional tear strength and a dielectric strength of 5,300 volts/mil. Its dielectric constant is 3.3, with a dissipation factor of 0.006. This new film is also heat sealable, provides good adhesion to most metals, and is highly resistant to chemicals.

Also offering good metal adhesion and chemical resistance, ULTEM 1000B film provides good high-heat capabilities, with a Tg of 217C. This product also features good dielectric properties and excellent tear strength, with a dissipation factor of 0.005.

ULTEM 1000B, 5000B, and EXSP0023 films are commercially available from GE Advanced Materials in thicknesses from 50 microns (2 mil) to 700 microns (28 mil) and in widths up to 48 inches.

Reader enquiries

GE Plastics
Plasticslaan 1
4600 AC Bergen op Zoom
Netherlands

Helen Vandebovenkamp
helen.vandebovenkamp@ge.com

Tel: +31 164 29 20 97
Fax: +31 164 29 10 66
Netherlands

+31 164 29 20 97

helen.vandebovenkamp@ge.com

www.geplastics.com

Notes for editors

GE Advanced Materials

GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicon-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Headquartered in Pittsfield, Mass., GE Advanced Materials is the combined entity of GE’s former Plastics, Silicones, and Quartz businesses. Its offerings include:

• Silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, caulks, resins, and elastomers for a variety of vertical markets such as personal care, automotive, tire and rubber, construction, healthcare, electronics, household and institutional, agriculture, textiles, appliances, bedding and furnishings, and foam control, as well as the consumer “do-it-yourself” market (www.gesilicones.com);

• Engineering thermoplastics resins serving customers in a variety of industries including aerospace, appliances, automotive, building and construction, data storage and optical media, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications, computers and peripheral devices, outdoor vehicles and devices, and packaging (www.geplastics.com);

• High-purity quartz and advanced ceramic materials for the semiconductor, telecommunications, lighting, electronics, personal care, and water purification industries. GE Advanced Materials is a leading supplier of quartz materials to the semiconductor industry (www.gequartz.com).

X GEN is a trademark of General Electric Company.

ULTEM is a registered trademark of General Electric Company.

Related images

GE Advanced Materials’ new ULTEM™ 1000B, ULTEM 5000B, and ULTEM EXSP0023 PEI films are characterized by their excellent temperature and electrical property performance. The new materials are the first in a family of new polyetherimide (PEI) films based on GE’s X GEN™ resin technology and are positioned to offer a cost-performance alternative to competitive polyimide (PI) films. They are excellent candidates for use in a range of consumer electronics applications where high-performance, economical, and durable materials are required. These include mobile phones, lap-top computers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and similar electronic devices. Other potential application areas include medical and automotive.