MOSCOW (MRC) -- BOPP specialist Treofan won a trophy at the 1st European Plastics Innovation Awards for its "PHD 1.9" ultra-thin capacitor film, said Packagingeurope.
The first European capacitor film thinner than 2µm, developed in partnership with chemicals and plastics producer Borealis, took home the award for Best Lightweight Innovation.
Storing and rapidly releasing large amounts of energy plays a crucial role in key next-generation technologies such as electric cars and wind power. Ultra-thin films increase storage capacity per unit area while also reducing the weight of the capacitor, which in turn means less cooling is required. This saves energy and lowers operating costs. Overall, a 1.9µm film boosts the efficiency of a component by around 30 percent compared to a conventional 2.4µm film.
The main challenge when developing ultra-thin films is combining the extreme mechanical strength demanded by high production speeds with outstanding homogeneous electrical and thermal properties.
Treofan and Borealis worked together intensely to optimize the molecular structure of the award-winning new solution. In parallel to this, improvements were made to the specialized production line at Treofan’s Neunkirchen site. Further enhancements are planned, with the goal of producing even thinner and more efficient films in the medium term.
"Developing ultra-thin capacitor films is the perfect reflection of our innovation strategy, which focuses on including the entire value chain – from raw materials and processing to the end consumer," says Dr. Yvonne Dupre, Head of Innovation at Treofan Germany.
The European Plastics Innovation Awards were created in 2015 by three organizations: European Plastics Converters (EuPC), PlasticsEurope and the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). The initiative aims to reward new ideas, products and technologies in the plastics industry that address a societal need while respecting the 3 Ps of sustainability – people, planet and profitability. The inaugural ceremony was held in Brussels on January 25.
As MRC informed earlier, in August 2015, Treofan developed a new film known as Treofan EPT for in-mould labelling in deep drawing or thermoforming. The new film with a special surface that attaches perfectly to deep-drawn films, enabling stable fusing of thermoforming and label film at low temperatures and pressures, while delivering look and feel as good as injection-moulded products.
Treofan Group is a global technology leader for biaxially oriented polypropylene film (BOPP). Treofan, which develops and sells BOPP films in over 90 countries around the world, has already production facilities in Europe and the Americas. Company offers the most diverse and comprehensive product range within the industry, providing packaging, label and tobacco film applications as well as films for electronic devices, such as capacitors.
MRC