Dow Chemical has expanded its Fortegra line of toughening technology designed to help improve the toughness of epoxy systems for electrical laminates, as well as structural adhesives, composites, castings and coatings. The new addition, Fortegra 351, increases the reliability and durability of electrical laminates, helping them withstand high mechanical stresses during the drilling process, while also helping to maintain the thermo-mechanical and electrical properties of the laminate board.
Dow presented the new technology at the IPC Apex Expo Conference and Exhibition on February 21 in a paper entitled, “Effect of Toughening and E-Glass Sizing on Fracture Toughness and Delamination in High Thermal Stability Electrical Laminates.”
“Fortegra toughening technology from Dow offers three distinct chemistries to address industry needs, helping customers minimize changes to existing equipment or processes,” said Akira Kato, global laminates marketing leader at Dow. “With the addition of the Fortegra 351, Dow offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios of toughening technologies in the market.”
The expanded Fortegra product line is based on dispersed preformed particulate toughening technology, which complements the existing proprietary Dow block copolymer technology introduced in 2007. The technology is designed to help laminate producers offer a toughened epoxy system with high thermal stability. These properties are increasingly important due to the introduction of lead-free solder, which requires higher assembly temperatures says the company.
Fortegra 351 is also designed to help increase the durability of the laminate board, which can be prone to cracking and defects during the drilling process.