Wearables

As the industry leader in specialty materials for smart devices, Syensqo’s broad portfolio of products can be found in several integral components of today’s most advanced wearable devices. Our portfolio of smart phone polymers are used in several internal electronic and structural applications, however our innovative fluoroelastomers for wrist bands, wearable pieces and accessories exceed today’s market standards. These materials provide next-generation watch bands with excellent haptics, unparalleled soft-to-the-touch feel, high density, and superior sweat and tear resistance. Additionally, our specialty polymers enable ease of processing to accommodate an array of demanding manufacturing procedures, and significant design flexibility for enhanced customization.

Durable, Premium Haptics for Next-Generation Watch Bands

Bands designed for traditional watches or wearable smart devices often display a rough surface finish and yellowing after UV exposure. Additionally, current materials are easily stained and tend to result in damage or breakage after extensive wear. As a result, consumer requirements for next-generation watch bands present OEMs with a unique and challenging checklist of capabilities and characteristics. The best wearable bands are equipped with excellent haptics and high density for a durable, but soft and silky feel. Consumers continue to develop increasingly versatile expectations regarding their smart devices, and accordingly, bands for wearables must be more robust and tear resistant, and must exhibit good stain, UV and chemical resistance. 

Industry Performance Requirements: soft and silky touch, premium haptics, good resilience, high density, stain resistance, UV resistance and chemical resistance
 

Tecnoflon® FKM: Meeting and Exceeding The Industry Demands

• Ultra-comfortable, soft-to-the-touch
• Superior stain, UV, sweat & chemical resistance
• Excellent suppleness for easier one-wrist clasp
• High density & premium quality feel
• More robust and tear resistant

Tecnoflon® FKM demonstrates best-in-class haptics, outstanding UV, sweat and stain resistance and a dense, high-quality feel for next-generation wearable electronics device straps like smart watch bands and smart device wearable accessories. As the best fit for wearable technology, Tecnoflon® FKM fluoroelastomers are partially fluorinated synthetic rubbers, engineered to endure the most demanding processing and functional environments. This choice material affords OEMs the opportunity to deliver a unique combination of benefits to the wearables market, as its dense, high-quality feel provides greater suppleness for an easier one-wrist clasp, as well as impressive tear resistance for increased durability. Additionally, wearable smart device watch bands made with Tecnoflon® FKM are easy to clean, as it is compatible with a myriad of chemicals and disinfectants. Its intrinsic, robust and high-quality properties reduce band abrasion and significantly improve the ergonomics of wrist, arm and chest bands, along with clasps and catches for today’s most advanced wearable smart devices. 

Design and Processing Requirements: chemical resistance, high-temperature tolerance, steam sterilization compatibility, easy customization, broad colorability and biocompatibility

Tecnoflon® FKM: Facilitating Unrivaled Ease of Processing

• Excellent chemical resistance
• Superior cleanability and sterilization compatibility
• Elevated temperature stability
• Extensive colorability and customization
• REACH-compliant and exceeds toxicological standards
• ISO 10993-approved for biocompatibility

Tecnoflon® FKM displays excellent chemical resistance and toughness, and these properties enable these fluoroelastomer grades to offer improved cleanability following repeat steam sterilization during processing. Its rugged and tear resistant nature supports elevated temperatures and the most demanding manufacturing environments and processes. Additionally, OEMs choose Tecnoflon® FKM for its extensive design freedom and broad colorability, as watch bands made with this premium material can be customized to an abundance of popularly demanded colors. Tecnoflon® FKM grades are REACH-compliant and have been submitted for ISO 10993 biocompatibility testing for body contact, and now qualify to the current highest standards for cytotoxicity, systemic toxicity, intracutaneous studies, maximization sensitization studies and physicochemical tests. 

Structural Applications and Components

Syensqo’s portfolio of specialty polymers for smartphones and wearables provides OEMs with an extensive selection of choice materials for durable, lightweight structural and cosmetic frames with superior stiffness and impact properties, good RF transparency and excellent processing compatibility. Next-generation smart devices require innovative and dependable materials for structural applications, such as plastic-metal hybrid structures and antenna splits.

Featured Products

Kalix® HPPA and Amodel® PPA offer outstanding mechanical strength and rigidity, as well as extremely high temperature tolerance, ideal for wearable structural housing that needs reliable performance. These high-performance polymers display excellent property retention during exposure to the demanding environments of wearable component processing as well as outdoor application conditions. 

Kalix® HPPA is specially designed for structural applications where both rigidity and a high-quality surface finish are essential, and simultaneously provides OEMs with processing improvements such as low warpage, reduced shrinkage and low-to-no flash. 

Amodel® PPA is an aromatic polyamide that outperforms traditional materials in a range of manufacturing processes. Components made with Amodel® PPA exhibit a greater resistance to a broad range of chemicals and extremely high strength and stiffness at elevated temperatures. 

Additionally, check out our products for electronic components of smartphones and wearables, such as chassis, brackets and buttons.