POLY­THERM

Polytherm^® is an optimized base material for LED applications. A thin layer, electrically insulating but highly heat-conducting, is placed on an aluminium base plate. On the opposite side, there is a layer of copper foil for forming the circuitry. Polytherm^® materials are available with a high variety in thermal conductivity, copper foil thickness, dielectric thickness and aluminium thickness.

Polytherm^® is also available with a massive copper base plate instead of aluminium and as flexible base material with thin aluminium and a thin and flexible dielectric.

Polytherm^® is ideal for PCBs whose functional assembly is likely to cause especially high heat generation – e.g. for PCBs with white LED diodes used for lighting purposes in the automotive industry. Polytherm^® laminates consist of an aluminium base 0.3 to 3.2 mm thick, laminated on one side with a thin, ceramic-filled dielectric made of epoxy resin. The dielectric features a very high insulation resistance and other excellent physical properties and is placed under a copper foil 18 µm to 150 µm thick. Polytherm^® can thus be processed as a single-sided PCB (print & etch) wherein the aluminium base serves both as cooling plate and “mass” – that is, functions like the power plane of a classic double-sided PCB.