Japanese molder Nissei Industries Ltd. has produced the industry’s thinnest low-profile side view light-emitting diode (LED) for use on thin-profile mobile phones. The 0.4-mm-high LED made of Amodel® A-4422 LS WH118 polyphthalamide (PPA) resin from Solvay Advanced Polymers sets a new mark for side view LEDs, which until now have been limited to 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm in size.

“As mobile phones continue to get thinner, there is a growing need for LEDs to be smaller and thinner,” explains Glenn Cupta, electrical/electronic industry manager and global coordinator for Solvay Advanced Polymers. “High-flow Amodel PPA delivers high strength and stiffness, fast cycle times, and lower production costs in this highly demanding application.”

High-flow Amodel A-4422 LS WH118 is a mineral-filled grade that fills very thin walls and runs in high-cavity tools up to 264 cavities. The thin-wall LED reflector cup made of Amodel PPA is injection molded onto the lead frame.

Amodel PPA has a fast crystallization rate and offers higher flow, faster cycles, lower flash, and greater overall performance than competitive glass-filled nylon 9T products. The material’s high strength and stiffness prevents warpage and permits the use of mineral filler for higher opacity than glass-filled products.

Amodel A-4422 LS WH118 resin has a heat distortion temperature greater than 300°C, which allows for IR reflow capability up to 270°C. The light-stabilized grade retains its whiteness and provides a light reflection greater than 90 percent from 420 nanometers to 700 nanometers. It has excellent adhesion to soft and hard silicone encapsulants for high reliability and product life, along with excellent adhesion to the lead frame so no air or moisture can penetrate the package and affect chip performance.

Nissei Industries, based in Tokyo, supplies the Amodel LED reflector cups to a Taiwanese packaging company which produces LEDs for the mobile phone industry.

About Solvay Advanced Polymers
Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC, produces more plastics with more performance than any other company in the world. This gives design engineers worldwide more ways to solve top design challenges in automotive, healthcare, electronics, aerospace and other demanding industries. Learn more at www.solvayadvancedpolymers.com.

SOLVAY is an international industrial Group active in Chemistry. It offers a broad range of products and solutions that contribute to improving quality of life. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and employs about 19,000 people in 50 countries. In 2009, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.5 billion. Solvay is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR). Details are available at www.solvay.com.

Press Contact:
Joseph Grande
413.684.2463
solvayap.press@solvay.com