IST’s CEO and president Toshiko Sakane discusses
Polyimide-based materials have long played a critical role in aerospace electronics and high-temperature engineering applications. However, new developments in transparent polyimide films and lightweight composite structures are opening additional opportunities in areas ranging from satellite systems to robotics and prosthetics
Recent developments from IST Corporation illustrate how material innovation is expanding the design possibilities available to engineers working in extreme environments.
According to IST president and CEO Toshiko Sakane, increasing interest in the company’s materials has been driven by their potential to address emerging engineering challenges in rapidly evolving industries such as satellite technology and humanoid robotics.
EXPANDING APPLICATIONS
Last year, International Design Engineer covered the launch of IST’s advanced polyimide fibre Imiditex; a novel composite material designed to work in synergy with traditional glass and carbon fibres to enhance their performance and unlock a whole host of new applications. Since then, Imiditex has attracted growing interest across multiple industries due to its combination of low weight, high mechanical stability and vibration-damping properties.
“Since talking to engineers in the satellite industry, we’ve found that a lot of composite technologies especially in low-orbit satellites are still in the developing stages,” Sakane explains. While major subsystems such as propulsion, communications and solar power are advancing rapidly, some supporting mechanical technologies remain less mature. “A lot of startup companies concentrate on the main technologies,” Sakane says. “But the sub-technologies like framing and unfolding are not yet completed or mature.”
This creates opportunities for materials that can reduce mass while maintaining mechanical performance in harsh conditions. According to Sakane, the properties of Imiditex make it particularly well suited for such applications. “Imiditex is lightweight and good for radiation and UV,” she explains. “This makes it the perfect material for the space use.” The company believes demonstrating the material’s performance in demanding environments such as space could accelerate adoption in terrestrial industries as well: “Once we can prove Imiditex is an ideal material for harsh environments such as space, we can bring it down to Earth.”
Several collaborative research efforts are already underway to evaluate these possibilities. IST has begun at least four different R&D projects with various partners involving extensive testing to generate independent performance data for Imiditex.
ROBOTICS AND PROSTHETICS
In addition to aerospace applications, Imiditex is also being considered for advanced robotics and prosthetic devices. The rapid development of humanoid robots has increased demand for structural materials that combine high stiffness with low mass and vibration damping, as Sakane notes: “Everything on a humanoid robot besides the ‘brain’ has to be extremely lightweight.”
Reducing structural weight directly affects the power consumption of mobile robotic systems, particularly those powered by batteries. At the same time, dynamic motion introduces mechanical shock and vibration that must be managed carefully to protect sensitive electronics. Sakane believes Imiditex could address both challenges simultaneously: “If they can use Imiditex for humanoid robotic legs, for example, it’s going to make it far lighter, stronger and also better absorb vibrations.”
Similar considerations apply in prosthetic limb design. “For artificial legs for humans, comfort is very important, as well as balance and strength,” Sakane says. “Imiditex is lighter and stable, and it absorbs shock and vibration.”
These characteristics could open new possibilities for structural designs that differ significantly from traditional metal-based mechanical components.
INTRODUCING TORMED
Alongside Imiditex, IST has also developed a transparent polyimide film known as Tormed, which introduces new capabilities compared with conventional polyimide materials. Polyimides are widely used in high-temperature electronic and aerospace systems due to their thermal stability. However, traditional polyimide films typically have a distinctive amber or gold colour.
Historically, this material has been used extensively in flexible electronics and insulation systems. Sakane notes that traditional films are commonly used for flexible printed circuits and compact electronic packaging. Rather than replicating existing variations, IST focused on developing a transparent version while preserving the thermal properties of conventional polyimide.
“We didn’t want to just make an imitation,” Sakane explains. “We made the film clear while maintaining its high-temperature performance up to 300°C.”
The transparency of Tormed introduces new possibilities for satellite thermal control and solar energy systems. Many spacecraft use polyimide films to protect internal electronics from radiation and extreme temperatures. Transparent polyimide enables new design options. For example, solar panels and reflective surfaces can benefit from films that transmit or reflect light more effectively.
“If they have the clear transparent film, it reflects sunlight much more,” Sakane says. “Yellow absorbs some of the sunlight, but the clear one reflects.”
The material is therefore being evaluated for use in solar panel protection layers and thermal reflector systems on satellite structures.
SELF-HEALING IN SPACE
To validate its performance in space environments, Tormed has already been included in orbital testing experiments. Most notably, the material recently completed a year-long stint on the ISS. Although the detailed results are still being analysed, the material successfully completed the exposure period.
Researchers are also investigating self-healing conductive coatings that incorporate the transparent polyimide film. According to Sakane, one research group discovered a promising behaviour in silver-coated structures: “If an electric current is passed through the Tormed film, it heals cracks in the layer.”
Self-healing coatings could significantly improve the reliability of spacecraft components, where physical repairs are impossible after launch.
For engineers working in aerospace and advanced robotics, materials such as Imiditex and Tormed can provide new design possibilities for lightweight, thermally stable, and vibration-resistant systems operating in extreme environments. The company expects adoption to increase as satellite missions evolve toward longer lifetimes and higher reliability requirements.
