Advances in Polyurethane Wire Enamels as High Performance Coatings

Since the introduction of polyurethane wire enamel from almost 60 years ago, the interest and demand of polyurethane wire enamels has remained high. Over the years, the performance has been further and further optimized. Their main use, as coatings in the field of fine and ultra fine wire for small electrical devices and electronics, where fast solderability at low temperatures is a must, makes polyurethanes especially an important material for wire enamels today. The high copper price and the growing Asian market lead to an increasing fine wire market and, therefore, to a higher demand of polyurethane wire enamels. Further developments to enhance the properties and to improve the whole process will therefore be in focus in the future.