Defense Speak Interpreted: Is DARPA Still Around After CHIPS?
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
PhiChem Open House a Success!
March 28, 2016 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
And, with a background in the electronics industry and many years’ experience in the development of UV-curable resins, another logical area of development was in photoresists for PCB and LED production, also for chemical milling of aluminium, stainless-steel and copper components. And to complement the product group, solder masks for PCBs and solder pastes for SMT assembly. Dr. Zhang proudly showed many examples of the ways in which PhiChem continues to build its identity as an emerging major player in the electronics materials market.
PhiChem’s product range did not stop there: it had further diversified its portfolio to include ceramic materials, such as high purity (99.999%) alumina for the manufacture of single crystal sapphire, used in substrates for LED manufacturing and as transparent windows for displays on electronic products.
After this comprehensive introduction, it was time to direct our attention to the primary objective of our visit, to preview PhiChem’s new R&D centre. We took the elevator to the sixth level and worked our way down floor by floor.
Several of us in the party had experience of working in high-end R&D. Speaking personally, I spent quite a few years of my early career in research laboratories equipped with leading-edge facilities and, having visited many since, I can be pretty blasé and difficult to impress when presented with what is promoted as the latest and greatest.
But PhiChem’s laboratories were magnificent in every respect! Breath-taking would not be an exaggeration. There was acres of space, spotlessly clean and environmentally controlled, equipped with every conceivable provision for materials synthesis, materials analysis, applications development and reliability testing; all of it was brand new and staffed by more than 70 skilled scientists, engineers and technicians.
The research department on the sixth floor consisted of a complex of laboratories and engineer offices, with advanced polymer characterisation apparatus such as gel permeation chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography for determining molecular weight distribution and understanding and predicting polymer performance. In addition, the R&D scientists had direct access to spray coating chambers and vacuum plating machines. PhiChem does all of its own synthesis, with a laboratory dedicated to developing new methods and products, and many patents to its credit.
Page 2 of 3
Share on:
Suggested Items
Driving Innovation: Direct Imaging vs. Conventional Exposure
07/01/2025 | Simon Khesin -- Column: Driving InnovationMy first camera used Kodak film. I even experimented with developing photos in the bathroom, though I usually dropped the film off at a Kodak center and received the prints two weeks later, only to discover that some images were out of focus or poorly framed. Today, every smartphone contains a high-quality camera capable of producing stunning images instantly.
Hands-On Demos Now Available for Apollo Seiko’s EF and AF Selective Soldering Lines
06/30/2025 | Apollo SeikoApollo Seiko, a leading innovator in soldering technology, is excited to spotlight its expanded lineup of EF and AF Series Selective Soldering Systems, now available for live demonstrations in its newly dedicated demo room.
Indium Corporation Expert to Present on Automotive and Industrial Solder Bonding Solutions at Global Electronics Association Workshop
06/26/2025 | IndiumIndium Corporation Principal Engineer, Advanced Materials, Andy Mackie, Ph.D., MSc, will deliver a technical presentation on innovative solder bonding solutions for automotive and industrial applications at the Global Electronics A
Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
06/26/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsMicro components have redefined what is possible in PCB design. With package sizes like 01005 and 0201 becoming more common in high-density layouts, designers are now expected to pack more performance into smaller spaces than ever before. While these advancements support miniaturization and functionality, they introduce new assembly challenges, particularly with traditional solder mask and legend application processes.
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
06/25/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileTin whiskers are slender, hair-like metallic growths that can develop on the surface of tin-plated electronic components. Typically measuring a few micrometers in diameter and growing several millimeters in length, they form through an electrochemical process influenced by environmental factors such as temperature variations, mechanical or compressive stress, and the aging of solder alloys.