History of Parylene

History of Parylene

Discovered in the 1940s, parylene is a polymer created from a chemical compound known as dimer, which is in powder form. When heated, it undergoes pyrolysis, is transformed into a gaseous state (now a monomer), cooled, and then introduced to a vacuum chamber where it polymerizes and becomes a film, which is deposited on virtually any available surface. Polymerization occurs at a very low pressure and at near room temperature. The entire process is known as CVD, or Chemical Vapor Deposition. Click here for more information on the Parylene application process.

This film is actually parylene, which has bonded during the deposition process and becomes a thin protective coating. Unlike liquid coatings, parylene completely penetrates all crevices and uniformly coats surfaces such as sharp points, cavities, edges, corners and even the minutest pores. It conforms to almost any exposed surface and is pinhole free. Parylene provides unsurpassed barrier protection against organic as well as inorganic compounds. Click here for more information on Parylene properties.

Since the coating process takes place at ambient temperature in a mild vacuum, and because of parylene’s conformal properties, it has a wide variety of applications. Parylene is widely used to coat:

• Medical devices and instruments (syringes, catheters, implants)
• Electronic components (pcb, motors, assemblies)
• Aerospace and Aviation electronics and other components
• Military and defense parts
• LEDS (Displays, SMD, circuit arrays)
• MEMS
• Nanotech
• Semiconductor products (probes, membranes, other)
• Silicone gaskets, seals, O-rings
• Rare earth magnets
• Glass
• Wire and Cable