Halogen Free Base Materials for PWB Applications

Since the introduction of FR-4 laminates in the early 1960’s, t-bromobisphenol A (TBBPA) has been used as a reactive component to flame retard epoxy laminates and impart many of the desired properties of FR-4 laminates for printed wiring board (PWB) fabrication. Due to several influences including environmental concerns, recycling strategies and proposed European Union (EU) regulations there has been growing demand to develop alternative materials for PWB applications. Isola has developed a range of non-brominated materials to address this growing demand. This paper will discuss some of the challenges and concerns highlighted through these development efforts as they relate to material attributes and PWB processing characteristics of the different approaches evaluated.