Definition of new polymer packaging solutions for airborne power electronic system applications

This research work presents the scientific approach used to qualify polymers for airborne power electronic packaging. Three types of polymer were studied, each of them having to fulfil specific function in a power module. Firstly, four high temperature polymers were pre-selected for external housing and their properties were investigated in two model ageing environments. Very different ageing mechanisms were detected depending on the nature of the exposure medium. The second part of this work dealt with the definition of the curing cycle of a silicone adhesive that must be used to assemble various structural parts of the power module. A similar experimental approach was proposed to optimise the properties of a thermoset polymer used for the flexible encapsulation of electronic components.