Macdermid alpha electronics showcased the value of silver sintering at battery show

MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions exhibited at last week’s Battery Show North America. As part of this, the company highlighted the role of specialist materials in shaping the future of electric mobility, and how they can enable OEMs to meet increasingly stringent performance, safety, and reliability criteria.

From its booth at Suburban Collection Showplace, representatives from MacDermid Alpha Electronics offered their perspective on vehicle inverters, including the advantages of using fully sintered modules over conventional module designs based on wire bonding, and soldering technology. As the industry progresses to advanced vehicle electrification, designs centred on fully sintered power modules provide enhanced thermal and electrical conductivity and longer operating lifecycles over traditional solder-based counterparts, resulting in greater reliability for OEM designs.

Drawing on atomic diffusion technology, the sintering process enables the formation of a bond within the power module to attach dies, packages and top sides. Crucially, at 962°C, the melting point of the silver material used in the sintering process is substantially higher than that of conventional solder alloys, which can range between 220°C to 280°C.

To illustrate the benefits of sintering technology over traditional solder for power module development within inverters, MacDermid Alpha Electronics conducted numerous tests concluding that sintering enables superior durability within alloys. The company’s ALPHA^® Argomax^® sintered silver technology has been shown to improve EV efficiency by 40% compared to traditional solder and tin copper alloys, facilitating range and reliability improvements and lightweighting advantages.

On the opening day of the event, Beth Massey, Product Manager - Encapsulation Resins at MacDermind Alpha Electronics, delivered a keynote presentation on real-world heat reduction and ruggedization utilizing three of Electrolube’s key product groups, encapsulation resins, thermal management and conformal coatings. Beth also explored why thermal conductivity values are only part of the equation for achieving real, in-application temperature reductions. Beth is responsible for equipping customers with the latest technical guidance specifically pertaining to Electrolube’s current and emerging technologies within the encapsulation resin division, and collaborates with R&D and Sales teams to best serve the needs of customers around the globe. Electrolube is a brand of MacDermind Alpha Electronics and is a manufacturer of specialist chemicals for the electronics industry.

Chris Klok, Director of Vehicle Electrification Strategy, MacDermid Alpha Electronics, commented: “Electric vehicle range and reliability are some of the biggest challenges facing OEMs at present and materials can provide a measurable competitive advantage in these areas.

“Our data shows that ALPHA^® Argomax^® offers considerable benefits over traditional solder materials. Selecting superior materials can drive power density and reliability improvements, while also enabling weight reductions which contribute to additional vehicle efficiency improvements.”

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