26-03-2021 | Kemtron | Subs & Systems
Kemtron provides conductive elastomers and manufactures a full range of shielding gaskets and components, offering a comprehensive EMI shielding service to the electronics and enclosure industry.
Previously, RFI shielding has addressed frequencies mainly up to 10GHz. Still, the demand for RFI/EMI shielding is growing with many more electronic devices accessing the market, but the demand is also changing as frequencies employed are getting higher. Ultra-reliable low latency communications between devices is required in safety-critical applications needing real-time access to rapidly changing data such as ADAS, which are becoming common in new vehicles. Electric vehicles provide a new market for EMC products with shielding required for battery management systems, DC-DC converters, LED lighting and sensors.
All these new systems based on 5G will need to satisfy EMC legislation and RFI shielding of the enclosures and components needed. RFI shielding effectiveness testing at higher frequencies for shielding gaskets is offered but not to any recognised standard so results can vary between test methods.
The volume resistivity of silver-plated aluminium in silicone will be max 0.008Ohm/cm giving shielding effectiveness at 10Ghz of 102db. In contrast, nickel-coated graphite will have a volume resistivity more than 10 times greater but exhibits comparable shielding effectiveness.
Nickel coated graphite in silicone is a cost-effective conductive Elastomer providing superior shielding characteristics even though it is much more resistive than precious metal-plated particle Elastomers. Nickel graphite in silicone costs around 60% less than silver-plated aluminium in silicone and 70% less than silver-plated copper in silicone. The company produces a flame-retardant version of nickel graphite in silicone, tested and approved to the international standard UL94V-0 by Underwriters Laboratories for flame retardancy, file number E344902. These electrically conductive elastomers can be moulded, extruded and fabricated into complex shapes to meet customers’ needs.
The company continues with research and development programs for new materials to satisfy the growing demands of its customers. This incorporates new elastomer fillers, elastomer compounds and additive manufacturing of elastomeric materials.
