Epoxy resins, in the category of CASE chemicals and materials, have a wide range of applications including overmolding integrated circuits, coatings for surfaces, barrier for electrical components and LEDs, high-tension electrical insulators, wetting out fiberglass, and adhesion for structural components, etc. Epoxy resins play an important part in the electronics industry, they are used in the production of insulators, motors, transformers and generators. Moreover, epoxy resins are ideal for their use as a barrier to protect electronics from environmental elements like dust, moisture and short circuits. They are also used in the manufacturing of adhesives, plastics, paints, coatings, primers and sealers, flooring and materials that are used in building and construction applications. Therefore, it is important to analyze and understand the properties of epoxy resins.
This application note demonstrates the ability of DMA to characterize the mechanical properties of an epoxy based printed circuit board (PCB) using a PerkinElmer® DMA 8000. The modulus of the PCB is measured, providing an important parameter for the manufacturer. In addition, the glass transition temperature is accurately measured, which gives information about the viable temperature range in which the material can be used.