PI Advanced Materials wins KPCA award for world-first 4µm unstretched polyimide film
- PI Advanced Materials received the 2026 KPCA Industry award for its role in mass-producing the world’s first 4µm unstretched polyimide film.
- Sanghak Lee, Gumi Production Team Leader, received the 2026 KPCA Proud PCB & Semiconductor Packaging Industry Award for leading the development.
- The 4µm film, commercialized in 2024, offers comparable mechanical, thermal and adhesion performance to 12.5µm film while being roughly one-third as thick.
- Key enablers included T‑DIE-based film casting optimization, precise process control and expertise in polymerization, casting and winding; target markets include FPCBs, displays, semiconductor packaging and EV batteries.
Award and recognition
PI Advanced Materials, an Arkema affiliate, received the 2026 KPCA Industry award for contributions to the world’s first mass-production of 4µm ultra-thin polyimide film using an unstretched process. Sanghak Lee, Gumi Production Team Leader, received the “2026 KPCA Proud PCB & Semiconductor Packaging Industry Award.” The award ceremony was held on September 9 at Gyeongwonjae, Incheon.
Technology and production
Drawing on expertise in polymerization, film casting and winding, PI Advanced Materials established the core technologies required for mass production. Sanghak Lee led optimization of the T‑DIE-based film casting process and the development of precise process control technologies, overcoming technical challenges and enabling commercialization of the unstretched 4µm film in 2024 after earlier mass production of 5µm film.
Material performance and properties
The 4µm polyimide film maintains comparable mechanical, thermal and adhesion performance to the commonly used 12.5µm film while being approximately one-third the thickness. It also provides excellent thickness uniformity and low, consistent loop stiffness, which improves processability.
Applications and outlook
The technology supports lighter, thinner and higher-performance requirements across flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs), displays, semiconductor packaging and electric vehicle batteries. PI Advanced Materials will continue R&D to support customers and strengthen its competitiveness in the advanced materials market.
Source: Arkema
