A New Generation of Materials for the Next Generation of Devices

Kolon CPI™ Colorless Polyimide Films

Foldable mobile phones. Flexible displays. Wearables. The next generation of consumer devices demands a substrate that can take the heat of everyday use— flexibly. Kolon’s CPI™ Colorless Polyimide Films are versatile, flexible, and colorless, and ready to perform for the most demanding applications.

They’re built with a patented, radiation-hard material that offers the potential to revolutionize flexible electronics, consumer devices, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and plenty of industrial applications as well.

Based on technology initially developed at NASA, Kolon’s CPI™ films can be folded or rolled, and can flexibly conform to a new generation of creative innovation.

The material scores high on technical merit as well: Kolon’s substrate offers roll-to-roll processing capabilities and optical transparency approaching 90 percent. The material is easy to process in organic solvents and has a super-smooth surface finish and tunable dielectric properties.

Kolon’s CPI™ films have so many uses.
The multipurpose material is available:

In film form (thickness ranges: 10 μm-100 μm)
As a varnish for coatable surfaces

Foldable mobile phones. Flexible displays. Wearables. The next generation of consumer devices demands a substrate that can take the heat of everyday use— flexibly. Kolon’s CPI™ Colorless Polyimide Films are versatile, flexible, and colorless, and ready to perform for the most demanding applications.

They’re built with a patented, radiation-hard material that offers the potential to revolutionize flexible electronics, consumer devices, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and plenty of industrial applications as well.

Based on technology initially developed at NASA, Kolon’s CPI™ films can be folded or rolled, and can flexibly conform to a new generation of creative innovation.

The material scores high on technical merit as well: Kolon’s substrate offers roll-to-roll processing capabilities and optical transparency approaching 90 percent. The material is easy to process in organic solvents and has a super-smooth surface finish and tunable dielectric properties.

Kolon’s CPI™ films have so many uses.
The multipurpose material is available:

In film form (thickness ranges: 10 μm-100 μm)
As a varnish for coatable surfaces

Fold It.

Roll It.

Make it Yours.

What will you make with Kolon CPI™ films?

Partnering Options

Benefits

Kolon’s CPI™ material offers many features that make it ideal for use in a wide range of applications:

High clarity, colorless

Kolon’s optically transparent material offers light-transmission properties that are greater than 89% at 550 nm.

High-temperature stability

The material’s glass transition temperature is >330 °C, and its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is <15 ppm/°C.

Excellent surface hardness

Pencil hardness testing demonstrated exceeding H at 1-kgf loading.

Smooth surface

The polyimide’s surface roughness is less than 10 nm, making it ideal for use as a film substrate for display backplanes, OLEDs, LCDs, OPVs, and other applications.

Acid and solvent tolerant

Tests have shown that Kolon’s CPI™ material is resistant to acids as well as certain solvents and alkalis, with further research underway.

Effective moisture barrier

The material absorbs less than 1% of water coming into contact with its surface.

Radiation tolerant

Unlike other polyimides, Kolon’s CPI™ material is rad-hard, making it ideal for use in certain applications.

Detailed Specifications

Applications

Kolon’s CPI™ material can be incorporated into a variety of products that use flexible and transparent substrates.

Consumer and industrial electronics:

Flexible, foldable, or rollable displays
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs)
Organic photovoltaics (OPVs)
Flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs)

Functional applications:

Semiconductors
Electrostatic dissipative coatings (e.g., for fighter jets)
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding
Solar sails
Space antennas
Fresnel lenses
Reflectors

What makes Kolon’s CPI™ material the better choice?

Other substrates may be flexible, but Kolon’s CPI™ material offers state-of-the-art unique properties that make it an ideal choice for a new generation of electronics.

The colorless quality of Kolon’s CPI™ material makes it the only polyimide that can be used for flexible, transparent substrates while offering superior mechanical properties.

Most available polymers are limited in this area—allowing for processing only up to 180 °C. Kolon’s CPI™ material performs better, offering a glass-transition temperature greater than 300 °C. This makes the material very well suited to conventional, high-temperature processing techniques.

With both superior surface hardness and ultra-smoothness, Kolon’s material meets or exceeds surface roughness and moisture absorption requirements for polyimide film substrates. It also demonstrates greater than H hardness at 1-kgf loading in pencil tests. In addition, 6 GPa of Young’s modulus can be achieved, showing the material’s excellent mechanical properties.

Kolon’s CPI™ material offers the capability for roll-to-roll processing along with flexural endurance and a low dissipation factor—all qualities that provide superior performance for use as a flexible substrate.

Solar-based applications are hot, and materials to accommodate them need to be able to take the heat. While many substrates require an addition step of ultraviolet (UV) curing for these applications, Kolon’s CPI™ material is ideal for OPVs and other solar products.

Colorless

The colorless quality of Kolon’s CPI™ material makes it the only polyimide that can be used for flexible, transparent substrates while offering superior mechanical properties.

Capable of high-temperature processing

Most available polymers are limited in this area—allowing for processing only up to 180 °C. Kolon’s CPI™ material performs better, offering a glass-transition temperature greater than 300 °C. This makes the material very well suited to conventional, high-temperature processing techniques.

Ideal polyimide film substrate properties

With both superior surface hardness and ultra-smoothness, Kolon’s material meets or exceeds surface roughness and moisture absorption requirements for polyimide film substrates. It also demonstrates greater than H hardness at 1-kgf loading in pencil tests. In addition, 6 GPa of Young’s modulus can be achieved, showing the material’s excellent mechanical properties.

Ideal flexible substrate properties

Kolon’s CPI™ material offers the capability for roll-to-roll processing along with flexural endurance and a low dissipation factor—all qualities that provide superior performance for use as a flexible substrate.

No UV curing needed

Solar-based applications are hot, and materials to accommodate them need to be able to take the heat. While many substrates require an addition step of ultraviolet (UV) curing for these applications, Kolon’s CPI™ material is ideal for OPVs and other solar products.

Specifications

Kolon has various versions of the CPI™ Film. Learn more about the properties for each below.

Kolon's CPI^TM Compared To Conventional Optical Film

	Unit	Glass	PI	CPI^TM	PET	PC	COC
Tg	°C	>450	>400	>330	80	145	150
CTE _{(50∽250°C)}	ppm/°C	0.8	<25	11	30∽40 _{(50∽100°C)}	80 _{(50∽100°C)}	95 _{(50∽100°C)}
TT	%	92	<60	90	91	90	90
Yellow Index	-	0	>90	2.0	0.2	0.5	0.3
R_th	nm	-	>2,000	300 _(Improving)	800	90	7
Flexibility	-	Brittle	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Brittle	Brittle
Surface Hardness	-	9H	-	2H	2B	B	HB∽F
Modulus	GPa	10	>3	>6	3	2	2
Water Absorption _{(23°C/24hrs)}	%	0	2∽3	<1	1.2	0.2	0.02

Kolon's CPI^TM Bare Films

	Grade 1	Grade 2	Grade 3	Grade 4
Thickness (μm)	30	30	20	20
Transmittance (%) (@380~780nm)	88	90	89	88
Yellow Index	<4.5	0.7	1.8	2.9
CTE(ppm/°C)(@50~250°C (2^nd))	10	11	28	45
Tg (°C)	>330	335	300~320	300~320
Td1wt% (°C)	>470	473	>450	>450
Surface Hardness	1H	2H	>1H	1H
Tensile Strength (MPa)	>300	310	167	132
Elongation (%)	<35	32	30	29
Modulus (GPa)	>6	6.2	5.3	4.5
Dielectric Constant (@10GHz)	<3.5	<3.5	<3.5	<3.5
Potential Application	TFT Substrate	Cover Window	TSP Substrate	FPCB

Kolon's CPI^TM File with Hardcoating

		High Flexibility Type		High Hardness Type
		1-Side H/C (50/10)	Both-Side H/C (10/50/5)	1-Side H/C (5-/20)
CPI Fill Thickness (μm)		50
Hard Coating Thickness (μm)		10	10 / 5	20
Transmittance (%)		91.0	91.0	91.0
Yellow Index		0.6	1.6	0.6
Surface Hardness (750gf)		7H	7H	8H
Adhesion (Cross Cut Test)		100/100	100/100	100/100
Scratch Text (#0000, 1kg, 500Times)		PASS	PASS	PASS
Static	In Folding Radius (mm)	1	2	1
Static	Out Folding Radius (mm)	2	2.5	3
Dynamic	Folding Test	Both-Side (3R x 150,000)	Both-Side (3R x 150,000)	Coating-Side (3R x 150,000)

Kolon's CPI^TM Varnish

	Grade 5	Grade 6
Solid Content (wt%)	13~14	12~15
Solid Viscosity (ps)	50~100	50~100
Thickness (μm)	10	10
Yellow Index	12.0	6.3
Transmittance (%) (@550nm)	86.4	88.2
R_th(nm)	-	102
Tg (°C)	385	320
Td 1% (°C)	527	396
CTE(ppm/°C)(1^st/2^nd Value)	6.3/7.9 _(@50~380°C)	26.9/35.1 _(@50~250°C)
Tensile Strength (MPa)	225	147
Elongation (%)	20.7	8.5
Modulus (GPa)	5.4	5.2
Chemical Resistance (DMAc, NMP)	0	0
Potential Application	TFT Substrate	TSP Substrate

Kolon’s CPI™Compared to Conventional Optical Film

	Unit	Glass	PI	CPI™	PET	PC	COC
Tg	°C	>450	>400	>330	80	145	150
CTE _{(50∽250°C)}	ppm/°C	0.8	<25	11	30∽40 _{(50∽100°C)}	80 _{(50∽100°C)}	95 _{(50∽100°C)}
TT	%	92	<60	90	91	90	90
Yellow Index	–	0	>90	2.0	0.2	0.5	0.3
R_th	nm	–	>2,000	300 _(Improving)	800	90	7
Flexibility	–	Brittle	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Brittle	Brittle
Surface Hardness	–	9H	–	2H	2B	B	HB∽F
Modulus	GPa	10	>3	>6	3	2	2
Water Absorption _{(23°C/24hrs)}	%	0	2∽3	<1	1.2	0.2	0.02

Kolon's CPI™ Bare Films

	Grade 1	Grade 2	Grade 3	Grade 4
Thickness (μm)	30	30	20	20
Transmittance (%) (@380~780nm)	88	90	89	88
Yellow Index	<4.5	0.7	1.8	2.9
CTE(ppm/°C)(@50~250°C (2^nd))	10	11	28	45
Tg (°C)	>330	335	300~320	300~320
Td1wt% (°C)	>470	473	>450	>450
Surface Hardness	1H	2H	>1H	1H
Tensile Strength (MPa)	>300	310	167	132
Elongation (%)	<35	32	30	29
Modulus (GPa)	>6	6.2	5.3	4.5
Dielectric Constant (@10GHz)	<3.5	<3.5	<3.5	<3.5
Potential Application	TFT Substrate	Cover Window	TSP Substrate	FPCB

Kolon's CPI™ with Hardcoating

	High Flexibility Type – 1-Side H/C (50/10)	High Flexibility Type – Both-Side H/C (10/50/5)	High Hardness Type – 1-Side H/C (5-/20)
CPI Fill Thickness (μm)	50	50	50
Hard Coating Thickness (μm)	10	10 / 5	20
Transmittance (%)	91.0	91.0	91.0
Yellow Index	0.6	1.6	0.6
Surface Hardness (750gf)	7H	7H	8H
Adhesion (Cross Cut Test)	100/100	100/100	100/100
Scratch Text (#0000, 1kg, 500Times)	PASS	PASS	PASS
Static In Folding Radius (mm)	1	2	1
Static Out Folding Radius (mm)	2	2.5	3
Dynamic Folding Test	Both-Side (3R x 150,000)	Both-Side (3R x 150,000)	Coating-Side (3R x 150,000)

Kolon's CPI™ Varnish

	Grade 5	Grade 6
Solid Content (wt%)	13~14	12~15
Solid Viscosity (ps)	50~100	50~100
Thickness (μm)	10	10
Yellow Index	12.0	6.3
Transmittance (%) (@550nm)	86.4	88.2
R_th(nm)	–	102
Tg (°C)	385	320
Td 1% (°C)	527	396
CTE(ppm/°C)(1^st/2^nd Value	6.3/7.9 _(@50~380°C)	26.9/35.1 _(@50~250°C)
Tensile Strength (MPa)	225	147
Elongation (%)	20.7	8.5
Modulus (GPa)	5.4	5.2
Chemical Resistance (DMAc, NMP)	0	0
Potential Application	TFT Substrate	TSP Substrate

For more information:

CPI™ With AGNW

CPI™ films

Kolon CPI™ Varnish

What will you make with Kolon CPI™ films?

Kolon’s material is flexible—and so is working with our company. We offer businesses multiple options to take advantage of this unique technology to innovate and create products that meet your research and development (R&D) needs. Your business can:

Purchase Kolon CPI™ films directly from us

Manufacture the films as part of a joint venture with Kolon

Collaborate with Kolon on further R&D, utilizing the films for finished products

Let’s discuss the possibilities

Interested in learning more?

Get in touch today to start a conversation about what you can do with Kolon CPI™
Colorless Polyimide Films, or to discuss further R&D with Kolon.

This technology (KL-0001) is owned by Kolon Industries, Inc. with intellectual property management and marketing support from Fuentek, LLC.