Performance changes of PI copper plated film under high or low temperature environment

1、 Introduction

PI (polyimide) copper plated film, as a widely used material in various fields such as electronics, aerospace, etc., its performance at different environmental temperatures is crucial. Both the heat dissipation requirements of electronic devices in high-temperature environments and the special application scenarios in low-temperature environments pose challenges to the performance stability of PI copper plated films. Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., LtdPI copper plated filmThere has been in-depth exploration in the research and development of related technologies. This article will combine its research results to explore the changes in the performance of PI copper plated films when used in high or low temperature environments.

2、 Structure and basic characteristics of PI copper plated film

1. Structural characteristics
   • PI copper plating film is made of polyimide film as the substrate, and a layer of copper film is deposited on its surface by chemical plating or physical plating methods. PI film has excellent properties such as high temperature resistance, low temperature resistance, insulation, mechanical strength, and chemical stability, providing good support for copper plating layers. The copper layer endows the PI film with excellent conductivity and thermal conductivity.
2. Basic performance
   • At room temperature, PI copper plated film has good conductivity, thermal conductivity, and a certain degree of flexibility. Its conductivity makes it widely used in electronic circuit connections, while its thermal conductivity helps with heat dissipation in electronic devices. Its flexibility facilitates its use in devices of different shapes.

3、 Performance changes of PI copper plated film under high temperature environment

1. Stress problems caused by differences in thermal expansion coefficients
   • PI film and copper layer have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Under high temperature conditions, the degree of expansion of PI film and copper layer varies with the increase of temperature. The thermal expansion coefficient of copper is relatively large, which may cause stress inside the PI copper plating film. When this stress exceeds a certain limit, it may cause deformation, warping, and even peeling of the film layer.
   • Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., LtdResearch has shown that by optimizing the copper plating process, such as controlling the thickness and uniformity of the copper layer, this stress problem can be alleviated to some extent. A thinner and more uniform copper layer generates relatively less stress at high temperatures and can better cooperate with PI thin films.
2. Oxidation of Copper Layer and Changes in Conductivity
   • In high temperature environments, copper layers are prone to oxidation reactions. The oxidized copper layer will form oxides such as copper oxide, which have much lower conductivity than copper. As the degree of oxidation of the copper layer increases, the overall conductivity of the PI copper plated film will gradually decrease.
   • Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. solves this problem by adding a special anti-oxidation coating on the surface of the copper layer. This antioxidant coating can effectively prevent oxygen from contacting the copper layer at high temperatures, thereby reducing the oxidation of the copper layer and maintaining the good conductivity of the PI copper plating film.
3. The influence of high temperature stability of PI film on overall performance
   • PI film itself has good high-temperature stability, but some of its properties may also change under extreme high temperatures. For example, its mechanical strength may decrease to a certain extent. This may affect the overall structural stability of the PI copper plated film, especially when subjected to external forces.
   • Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. has improved the mechanical strength retention of PI films at high temperatures through modification research. This enables the PI copper plated film to better maintain its structural integrity in high-temperature environments, thereby ensuring its reliability in high-temperature applications.

4、 Performance changes of PI copper plated film in low-temperature environment

1. Material embrittlement phenomenon
   • At low temperatures, the PI copper plating film may experience embrittlement. The flexibility of PI film and copper layer will be affected at low temperatures, and the ductility of copper layer will be significantly reduced. This may lead toPI copper plated filmIt is more prone to fracture when subjected to external forces, which affects its reliability in low-temperature environments.
   • Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. has developed a low-temperature toughness enhanced PI film for the preparation of copper plating film by adjusting the molecular structure of the PI film. This special PI film can maintain good flexibility at low temperatures, reducing the possibility of embrittlement of the entire PI copper plated film.
2. Changes in conductivity and thermal conductivity
   • Under low temperature conditions, the electronic mobility and other electrical properties of materials will undergo changes. For PI copper plated film, the conductivity of the copper layer may slightly decrease due to the enhanced electron scattering caused by low temperature. At the same time, thermal conductivity is also affected because the thermal motion of molecules slows down at low temperatures, resulting in a decrease in heat transfer efficiency.
   • Research by Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. has found that optimizing the microstructure of the copper layer, such as reducing the particle size of copper particles, can to some extent improve the conductivity and thermal conductivity of PI copper plated films at low temperatures. Smaller copper particle size can reduce the influence of electron scattering, thereby maintaining better electrical performance.

5、 Conclusion

PI copper plated filmWhen used in high or low temperature environments, its performance will undergo various changes. In high-temperature environments, factors such as differences in thermal expansion coefficients, copper layer oxidation, and the high-temperature stability of PI films themselves can affect their performance; At low temperatures, material brittleness, changes in conductivity and thermal conductivity are the main performance influencing factors. Advanced Institute (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. has effectively improved the performance of PI copper plating film in high and low temperature environments, enhanced its reliability and applicability in different temperature environments, and provided strong technical support for the application of PI copper plating film in a wider range of temperature environments through a series of research and technological means, such as optimizing copper plating process, adding antioxidant coatings, modifying PI films, and optimizing the microstructure of copper layers.
The above data is for reference only, and specific performance may vary due to production processes and product specifications.