In order to reduce the burden on the environment, there is an increasing need for tape products with more functions. FEX™ tape can be widely and effectively used as a substitute for traditional fluororesin tape. Although Sumitomo Electric expects annual sales in 2023 to be approximately 100 million yen, the company expects more and more useful applications of FEX™ tape due to the increasing environmental requirements of today's society. Sumitomo Electric will continue to support manufacturing industries around the world to meet social needs with its unique materials and application development technologies.

*1 PTFE stands for polytetrafluoroethylene, which is a linear polymer of fluorine (F) and carbon (C). Due to the strong and stable bonding force between C and F, it has very high slip (the lowest level of friction among solids), non-stickiness, heat resistance, chemical resistance and weather resistance. In addition, because its electronegativity and polarity are the lowest among macromolecules, it is difficult for foreign molecules to attach, and the bonding between fluorine molecules is weak and easy to wear.

*2 The abrasion resistance of the cross-linked fluororesin FEX™ has been increased by approximately 1,000 times. By cross-linking PTFE (see *3), the weakness described in *1 can be overcome while maintaining the original excellent performance.

*3 A technology that irradiates polymer materials with electron beams. Sumitomo Electric launched Japan's first commercial electron beam accelerator in 1964, and began production and sales of heat-shrinkable tubes "SUMITUBE™", heat-resistant tubes "IRRAX™ TUBE" and modified engineering plastics "TERALINK™". This time, by irradiating polytetrafluoroethylene with an electron beam under special conditions, a cross-linking reaction is generated, forming a "bridge" between the molecular chains and forming a very strong covalent bond. Therefore, various properties, such as heat resistance, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance, have been improved.

・Crosslinked fluororesin FEX™

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. released this content on December 3, 2021, and assumes full responsibility for the information contained therein. Distributed by the public at 02:11:06, December 3, 2021 UTC, unedited and unaltered.