There are three major types of electronic potting compounds commonly used in the market, namely silicone potting compound, polyurethane potting compound and epoxy resin potting compound, each of these three electronic potting compounds has its own advantages and disadvantages, the following will give you a comparison of the way to understand their respective characteristics, to help you choose the right potting compound for your products.
| silicone potting compound | polyurethane potting compound | epoxy resin potting compound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage |
1. No by-products in the curing process, environmental protection and safety. 2. Excellent electrical insulation performance and high and low temperature resistance (-50℃~200℃). 3. The compound is elastomeric material after curing, with excellent resistance to hot and cold alternation. 4. There is operation time after AB is mixed, such as accelerated curing can be heated, and the curing time can be controlled. 5. After the silicone is cracked by an external force, it can heal automatically. The same axial sealing function does not affect the use effect. 6. It can be repaired twice, and the sealed components can be taken out for repair and replacement quickly and conveniently. |
1. Low viscosity, natural leveling, no bubbles, strong permeability, and can fill the components and lines. 2. Good performance, long pot life, suitable for mass automatic production line operations. 3. During the potting and curing process, the powder components such as fillers are extra small and not segmented. 4. The curing process does not emit heat, and the shrinkage rate after curing is low. 5. The potting material has the properties of flame retardant, weather resistance, resonance, etc. 6. It has good adhesion to a variety of materials and low water absorption. |
1. Low viscosity, high permeability, can be filled with components and between lines. 2. Good performance, long operation time, suitable for high volume automatic production line operation. 3. Curing process is not exothermic. 4. The potting material is flame retardant, weather-resistant, vibration proof and other properties. 5. Extremely strong adhesion to a variety of materials. |
| Disadvantage |
The adhesion and bonding with electronic components is slightly poor. |
Poor high-temperature resistance and easy to produce bubbles, weak UV resistance, easy to discolor the PU potting compounds, easy to absorb moisture before curing, and the operating environment is required to be dry. | The resistance to cold and heat changes is weak, and it is easy to crack when it exceeds 100℃. After curing, it is as hard and brittle as a stone. If it is removed after potting, it will damage the electronic components themselves. |
| Application |
It is suitable for potting various kinds of electronic devices working in harsh environments and high-end precision/sensitive electronic devices. Such as LED, display, photovoltaic materials, diodes, semiconductor devices, relays, sensors, automotive ballast HIV, car computer ECU, etc., mainly as insulation, moisture-proof, dustproof, shock absorption. |
Suitable for general application in potting of electronic components that do not generate high heat. Transformers, anti-current coils, converters, capacitors, coils, inductors, varistors, linear engines, fixed rotors, circuit boards, LEDs, pumps, etc. | It is suitable for potting non-precision electronic devices and electronic components that need to be kept secret. Mostly used in LEDs, transformers, regulators, industrial electronics, relays, controllers, power modules, etc. |
Comprehensive Comparison:
1. Raw material cost: silicone > epoxy resin > polyurethane.
2. Processability: epoxy resin＞silicone＞polyurethane.
3. Electrical properties: epoxy resin＞silicone＞polyurethane.
4. Heat resistance: silicone > epoxy resin > polyurethane.
5. high and low temperature resistance: silicone > polyurethane > epoxy resin.