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Test Service
With over 20,000 sf facilities on high voltage dielectric and piezoelectric materials, we have the following test capabilities for potential customers:
PolyK has built a comprehensive test center that can integrate fundamental polymer and thin film characterization with high voltage and dielectric test. We offer flexible test services to various customers to fully utilize the potential of our unique characterization techniques with reasonable cost. All equipment is fully calibrated and all test will be performed by our experienced engineers with at least three-year direct experience on relevant test.
High voltage and dielectric measurements are very specialized test. Many people do not have experience and they may make all kinds of mistakes: they do not know whether the equipment is working or not, they use wrong settings or wrong fixtures, few people is willing to ready the equipment manual carefully. Therefore even though the modern computer-controlled test systems can always provide you a number, many test results may not be correct.
PolyK engineers have many years experience in these tests. They are true experts in the test equipment and they always know how to get the most reliable results. They also use commercial materials with known performance to calibrate the test system. Therefore, you can always trust the test results provided by PolyK.
Indicative Fee for Test Services (actual price may change based on specific samples, such as temperature, thickness, etc.). Fee includes operator cost and it can be reduced if the customer perform the test by themselves. Test will be started within two business days after receiving samples:
- DSC (TA Q2000, Differential scanning calorimetry , -90 C to 500 C): $100 set up fee, $60/sample (including sample preparation using METTLER TOLED balance with 1 microgram accuracy). Will run a free standard based on customer's requirement before running samples (Indium, Zinc, or Lead). Additional fee may be charged if each run is longer than 4 hours. Modulated DSC can be run based on special requirement.
- DMA (TA Q800, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, liquid )nitrogen cooling): $200 set up fee, $120/sample. Additional fee may be charged if the run takes long time or consumes too much liquid nitrogen.
- FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, only transmission): $40/run, or $100/hour.
- UV-Vis: $40/run, or $100/hour
- Electrode deposition: gold/platinum/silver sputtering with Emitech K550X, $20/minute. Aluminum evaporation: $200/run
- Dielectric Breakdown and Polarization (ferroelectric) loop test: $200/hour (+/-20 kV). Sample preparation fee may apply (thickness measurement down to 0.1 um with Heidenhain gauge). High temperature measurement fee may apply.
- High voltage resistivity/leakage current (10 kV, up to 250 C, single layer film or large size capacitor): $200/hour. Sample preparation fee may apply. Liquid nitrogen fee may apply if run at low temperatures.
- Capacitance and dissipation factor test vs temperature and frequency (20 Hz - 1 Mhz, -100 C to 250 C): $200 set up fee, $60/hour. Sample preparation fee may apply. Additional liquid nitrogen fee may apply based on test requirement.
- Thermal conductivity test (TCi system): $200 setup fee, $100/run (three spots on the same specimen). High temperature fee may apply.
- Capacitor charge-discharge test: with high current MosFET switch: $200/hour. Charged energy may be provided for certain samples.
- Film extrusion service (15 cm die, 1" single screw extruder, up to 320 C): $500 set up fee, $1,000/day. Special fee may apply if requirement thorough cleaning.
- Machine shop user fee: $100/hour (high power laser, band saw, diameter wire saw, and others).
Polymer Morphology and Properties:
- DSC with TA Q2000 (modulated), -90 C to >500 C.
- DMA with TA Q800 (tensile or bending), with liquid nitrogen cooling.
- FTIR (400-8000 cm-1), polarizer and temperature control are available.
- UV-VIS (200-1200 nm)
- Intrinsic viscosity (molecular weight) of polymer dilute solution using Cannon-Ubbelohde glass viscometer.
- Optical microscope with camera.
- Thermal conductivity measurement (details available upon request, four technologies available).
Sample Preparation for High Voltage and Dielectric Test:
- Electrode deposition using either sputtering (Gold, silver, or platinum) or thermal evaporation (Aluminum or gold). PolyK has various masks for electrode deposition.
- Accurate thickness measurement using either mechanical gauge (0.2 um and up) or optical system (1 nm to 5 um).
- Drying ovens: vacuum oven with temperatures up to 500 deg C, over ten gravity and forced air ovens.
- Thin film preparation in lab scale or pilot production scale:
- Solvent casting (we have chemical lab with fume hood, film casting in clean gravity oven on glass slides up to 18" by 18"), various organic solvents available. Filtration system from ml to several gallons with filter pore sizes from 0.1 um to 10 um.
- Melt compression molding with Carver press
- Melt extrusion (6" or 18" flex-lip die, 300-450 deg C).
- Machine (Monoaxial) Direction Orientation (MDO): width up to 650 mm, 11 heater rollers with temperature up to 250 C, multi-stage orientation capable
- Thin film stretching (batch process or roll-to-roll).
- Diamond Wire Saw cutting of ceramics and other rigid materials. MTI Precision Wire Saw with Sample Stage and Diamond Wire - 6" Dia Cutting Capability - STX-603
High Voltage and Dielectric Test:
- Capacitance (dielectric constant) and dissipation factor as a function of temperature (-100 deg C to >1,000 C) and frequency. Agilent/HP/Kesight 4284A (20 Hz to 1 MHz) and 4285A (75 kHz to 30 MHz), 4294A (40 Hz to 110 MHz)
- Leakage current test as a function of temperature and/or voltage.
- Dielectric breakdown test with voltage up to 125 kV (as a function of temperature).
- Polarization loop and ferroelectric test as a function of temperature, frequency, and voltage.
- Capacitor charge-discharge test (voltage up to 20 kV, discharge speed down to 1 microsecond, current up to 5,000 A. Export control or ITAR may apply.).
- High voltage poling (various voltage and temperature).
- High voltage aging (DC or AC).
- TSDC thermally stimulated depolarization current.
- Pyroelectric coefficient test (with Keithley 6517A electrometer).
- Capacitance and dissipation factor under high voltage DC bias (vs temperature and frequency).
- Capacitor equivalent series resistance (ESR) and equivalent series inductance (ESL).
- Other high voltage, dielectric, or ferroelectric test: we are specialized in these test and we can easily combine several meters together to help you.
- Piezoelectric energy harvesting measurement system with VTS 100 lb shaker and HP dynamic analyzer (pictures at the bottom of this page).
- All high voltage and dielectric test can be performed by comparing commercial materials such as Kapton, PTFE, polyetherimides, PEEK, PPS, PEN, PET, or biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). As these tests are strongly affected by the test equipment and protocols, PolyK recommends comparable test shall be performed on commercial competing materials so the results are more meaningful. PolyK has all these commercial materials for this purpose.
Competitive Analysis and Material Identification:
- We can provide competitive analysis based on the above test results and compare their performance with commercial competing materials or technologies.
- With our comprehensive polymer analysis tools and high voltage test tools, as well as our experience with almost every commercial polymer material, we can also help you to identify the composition of the samples your provided.
Aging Test:
- Following ASTM standard to perform aging test under various temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions, temperature from -70 C to 200 C, RH up to 90%, long term soaking, or temperature cycle, etc. Three Tenney environment chambers with computer control
- Salt spray test. following ASTM B117 "Standard Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus"
- ASTM D257, Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials.
- ASTM D150, Standard Test Methods for AC Loss Characteristics and Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Solid Electrical Insulation.
- ASTM D3755, Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Dielectric Strength of Solid Electrical Insulating Materials Under Direct-Voltage Stress.
- ASTM D149, Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage and Dielectric Strength of Solid Electrical Insulating Materials at Commercial Power Frequencies.
- ASTM D5213, Standard Specification for Polymeric Resin Film for Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Applications
- ASTM D924, Standard Test Method for Dissipation Factor (or Power Factor) and Relative Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Electrical Insulating Liquids
- ASTM D877, Standard Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage of Insulating Liquids Using Disk Electrodes
Measure dielectric constant and loss tangent at 40-70 Hz and AC up to 10 kV.