Insulation future materials

In power transformer manufacture the case of paper insulation and oil used in combination is well established. Both materials can be operated safely at the same maximum temperature (105°C) and this combination of use seems unlikely to be phased out in the near future. 

Hitachi Chemical is considering developments of new applications for its crosslinked PE foam. It has been used as roofing material, cushioning and insulation. It is a closed-cell type and does not absorb moisture or water, is chemical resistant and highly shock absorbant. It is easy to handle and may be processed using conventional equipment. Applications are expected to widen to meet future needs. 

Organic coatings are used in the electronics industry, both as resists and as encapsulants and insulating, intermediate dielectrics, and perhaps in the not too distant future, as conducting elements. The goal of the symposium organizers has been to emphasize the chemical aspects of these materials and their uses. This emphasis concerns mechanisms of formation and utilization, chemical stability, change, and reliability, as consequences of chemical composition and reactions. 

Although the superconducting properties of these materials are of major interest at this time, future applications of these materials may depend upon utilization of the dramatic changes in electrical properties accompanying stoichiometric changes in these solid solutions. Particularly interesting are the ferro-, ferri-, piezo- and paraelectric properties displayed by the insulating phases in BaPbx ... 

LA-ICP-MS will develop into a dominant solid-state analytical technique in the sensitive bulk analysis of homogeneous non-conducting materials (insulators, ceramics and glasses) in the future. The state-of-the-art, challenges and limitations with respect to isotope ratio measurements by LA-ICP-MS using different instrumentations have been reviewed in reference 131. 

Clay is one of the most important building materials conceived by humanity. Without clay, little from our past would remain preserved. Without clay, we would have fewer beautiful works of art to enjoy we would not have useful electrical insulators and other modern-day appliances. Recently, high -temperature (90°K or -183°C) ceramic superconducting materials have been developed. Ceramic materials are used to make heat shields for space vehicles, such as the space shuttle. Clay is a material of the past and of the future. We will always be playing with clay. 

With the increase of the degree of integration of microcircuits, the multilevel interconnect technology becomes inevitable for future VLSI manufacture. Polyimide exhibits superior planarity over stepped structures and is expected to be one of the most promising materials for the dielectric insulation of VLSI s. However, since the smallest via holes so far achieved by wet etching is 3 pm (1), the formation of fine via holes by a dry etch process is needed for the application of polyimide to VLSI having fine metal wiring. 

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