Gels are a special class of encapsulants that cure to an extremely soft material. They are used to provide high levels of stress relief to sensitive circuitry. Gels perform many important functions in electronics. Their major job is to protect electronic assemblies and components from adverse environments by:

• Functioning as dielectric insulation
• Protecting the circuit from moisture and other contaminants
• Relieving mechanical and thermal stress on components

Dow offers a line of standard gels, a line of low-temperature gels for applications requiring low-temperature performance. A line of toughened gels for use where chemical adhesion and dimensional stability are required, and a line of specialty gels for applications requiring low extractables, ultra-violet (UV) cure, or resistance to solvents and fuels. In addition, Dow offers custom gels that can be quickly tailored to meet specific application needs for properties such as color, viscosity, hardness, and cure rate.