From the Pipeline: From Electronics to Refrigerants, Cookware to Authentication

This is one in a series of articles about how DuPont is putting science to work in 2009.

What stands out when you read the headline From Electronics to Refrigerants, Cookware to Authentication? It definitely says “diversity” – and, in particular, it’s the diversity of new products delivered from the DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies (DECT) platform in the first quarter of this year.

“Each one of our new technologies is tied to a brand name that people know, and that continues to be a common thread for the electronics platform,” said Steve Freilich, DECT technical director.

The DECT platform is perhaps most known for the innovative materials it delivers to a range of electronics markets, including the semiconductor, display, imaging and photovoltaic industries. New technologies delivered to the electronics industry this year include a new black Kapton® flexible circuit coverlay film for a next generation laptop being developed by a leading U.S. electronics company.

In addition, the DuPont pipeline delivered an improved UV curable optical adhesive used in bonding glass or touch screens to liquid crystal displays (LCDs) which are built into cell phones, laptops and mobile devices. This is the first adhesive material that enables disassembly and repair of a bonded display, providing significant cost savings to device manufacturers and delivering real science to a market that relies on innovation for growth.

DECT is also home to the Science of Cool™ -- the DuPont Refrigerants business. The pipeline for this business is in the midst of a transformation to address the potential for a major HFC-22 refrigerant shortfall beginning in 2010. ISCEON® M099™ was launched in the first quarter to offer a more sustainable, cost-effective alternative for existing systems.

Using new and patented scratch-resistance technology, DuPont introduced Teflon® Platinum Plus earlier this year. This new coating system provides a 50% improvement in scratch resistance compared to the current Teflon® Platinum coating. More durable, longer lasting non-stick coatings increase the functional life of cookware, which results in the need for fewer replacement pans. The production of fewer pans means less waste, which offers consumers a more sustainable cookware option.

DuPont Authentication rounded out the line up with new Izon® holographic security product. Stay tuned for a future article in this series that describes the amazing technology behind holographics.