Advancement of Thin Resistive Polymer Films with Graphitic Nanomaterials

ABSTRACT: Applied Sciences, Inc. (ASI) has developed a process for producing high performance mechanically robust thin polymer films with tailor-able electrical resistivity using graphitic nanomaterials and readily-scalable processing equipment. The ASI film material features high quality, nano-scale conductive additives, carbon nanofibers (CNF), which are commercially available in large volumes and at low cost. The polymer resin used for this effort is a high performance polyimide resin which is also commercially available in large volumes, although the process developed by ASI is capable of producing film materials with any film forming polymer resin that is of interest to Air Force and/or defense contractors. ASI has previously demonstrated the ability to consistently produce robust, high quality, isotropic films that meet the electrical resistivity targets over a wide range, allowing for customers to design platforms with tailored electrical resistivity to match the requirements of their application. Under this effort, ASI will optimize and scale-up the thin film production process. Significant testing and materials evaluation will be conducted with participation from prime contractors and Air Force in order to position the ASI film materials for transition to the fleet. BENEFIT: Development of more robust resistive thin polymer films will provide benefits to numerous commercial electronics applications as well as commercial aircraft applications. The benefit to Defense applications will be a reduction in lifecycle cost of the resistive thin films compared to materials currently in use.