5G Plastic Materials

Problem

Cellular phones and related communications hardware are constructed of plastic materials. However, the plastic absorbs some of the signal requiring higher output to be used. That, in turn, affects battery life. Two major manufacturers asked me if I could help develop plastics for the new 5G phones. The issue is that 5G operates at new frequencies and the existing 3G plastics are not good enough at those frequencies.

Action

I did an extremely deep investigation into the dielectric properties of plastics and additives for plastics. Such information is not abundant but I was able to discover the fundamental properties that lead to good dielectric performance and therefore low signal loss, at 5G frequencies. That in turn enabled me to identify new additives for plastics in mobile phones, paving the way for lower dielectric losses and superior performance.

Result

The next step is to find a partner to do testing and bring these improved 5G plastic materials to market. Potential partners would include OEM companies like Apple and Samsung as well as plastics producers like Celanese and Solvay.