Thin Flame Retardant Multilayer Material for Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a challenge in producing compressible polymer foam layers that are thin, lightweight, and provide good cushioning and flame retardance, especially in electronic devices where space is limited and heat generation is high.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer material comprising a compressible polymer foam layer with a density of less than 400 kg/m3 and a compression force deflection of 5 to 1,035 kPa, combined with a thin solid, polymeric flame retardant layer, achieving a UL-94 rating of V1, V0, or HF1.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the thickness of the compressible polymer foam layer is reduced to make the material thinner and lighter, then the weight and thickness are improved, but the flame retardance and cushioning properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The material is divided into two distinct layers: a thin compressible polymer foam layer (less than 3.5 mm thick) that provides cushioning and impact protection, and a separate flame retardant layer that provides flame retardance. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the foam layer to be made thin and lightweight while the flame retardant layer ensures safety requirements are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite multilayer material combining a compressible polymer foam with a flame retardant layer. This composite structure integrates the beneficial properties of both materials: the foam provides cushioning and comfort, while the flame retardant layer ensures fire safety. The composite approach allows the material to achieve both lightweight/thin characteristics and reliable flame retardance that cannot be obtained from a single material.
2Length of moving object
If the thickness of the compressible polymer foam layer is reduced to make the device more compact, then the length and volume are improved, but the cushioning properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cushioning function and flame retardance function are segmented into separate layers. The compressible polymer foam layer, though thin (less than 3.5 mm), is optimized specifically for cushioning properties with controlled density and cell structure. The flame retardant layer is a separate component that handles fire safety, allowing the foam layer to be made as thin as possible while maintaining adequate cushioning performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressible polymer foam layer parameters (density, cell size, cross-linking) are carefully controlled and optimized to maximize cushioning properties within the constraint of thin thickness. By adjusting these parameters, the foam achieves adequate compression set resistance and cushioning performance in a thickness of less than 3.5 mm, which would not be possible with conventional single-material solutions.
3Weight of moving object
If the density of the compressible polymer foam layer is reduced to make the material lighter, then the weight is improved, but the flame retardance and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The material system is segmented into a low-density compressible polymer foam layer (providing lightweight cushioning) and a separate flame retardant layer (providing fire safety). This allows the foam to be made as low-density as possible for weight reduction, while the flame retardant layer independently ensures that flame retardance requirements are met, overcoming the limitation that would exist in a single-material system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure where a low-density compressible polymer foam is combined with a flame retardant layer. This composite approach allows the system to achieve low density (lightweight) characteristics from the foam while the flame retardant layer provides the necessary fire safety. The composite structure enables weight reduction without sacrificing flame retardance, as each material contributes its optimal property to the overall system.
Data Source
AI summary
A multilayer material, including a compressible polymer foam layer, wherein the compressible polymer foam layer has a density of less than 400 kg/m3, a compression force deflection of 5 to 1,035 kPa at 25% deflection determined in accordance with ASTM D3574-17, and a thickness of less than 3.5 millimeters; and a solid, polymeric flame retardant layer disposed on a first side of the compressible polymer foam layer, wherein the flame retardant layer has a thickness of less than 0.3 millimeters, wherein the thickness of the compressible polymer foam layer is at least two times greater than the thickness of the flame retardant layer; wherein each of the compressible polymer foam layer and the flame retardant layer includes a flame retardant composition, and wherein the multilayer material has a thickness of 3.5 millimeters or less, and a UL-94 rating of V1, preferably V0, HF1, or a combination thereof.