▪️ Recognized for Korea’s first domestic mass production of high-reliability polyimide insulation material for 800V-class EV drive motors
▪️ Technology scalability to other high-temperature insulation applications, including electric vehicles, aerospace systems, and industrial motors
Korea Technology Awards 2025
PI Advanced Materials, an Arkema Affiliate, the leading Korean polyimide (PI) manufacturer with the largest global market share and an Arkema (ISIN: FR0010313833) affiliate, announced that it has received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Award (Corporate Category) at the 2025 Korea Technology Awards, held at COEX Hall B in Seoul.
The Korea Technology Awards, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MoTIR) and organized by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), honor companies, institutions, and innovators that have made significant contributions to the development and commercialization of advanced industrial technologies.
Zenimid™ Polyimide - High-performance Insulation Varnish for 800V Motors
The award-winning technology developed by PI Advanced Materials is a high-reliability polyimide insulation material for 800V-class electric vehicle drive motors. High-efficiency, high-performance 800V motors require insulation materials capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to high-voltage and high-temperature environments. A critical performance requirement is the suppression of partial discharges, which can repeatedly occur in motor windings.
Zenimid™ polyimide insulation varnish is distinguished by its high Partial Discharge Inception Voltage (PDIV), low dielectric constant at elevated temperatures, and excellent thermal stability. These properties enable reduced insulation thickness without compromising motor performance, while ensuring long-term durability even under high-voltage operating conditions.
The material’s high-reliability performance is rooted in the company’s proprietary expertise in molecular design, synthesis, and dispersion, as well as its advanced organic-inorganic hybrid formulation using nanofillers. This technological foundation allows the varnish to withstand extreme thermal and electrical stress without performance degradation. Notably, the material was officially validated through its first-ever application in Korea to a commercially produced 800V electric vehicle platform.
Scalability Beyond EV Drive Motors
The product also demonstrates outstanding performance across key metrics, including thermal insulation stability at elevated temperatures, electrical durability under high voltages, and strong adhesion to copper conductors. Given these properties, the material demonstrates strong scalability beyond EV drive motors to industrial high-performance motors and electric propulsion systems in aerospace, offering broad potential for adoption across high-power, high-temperature applications.
The award further underscores PI Advanced Materials’ sustained technological leadership in polyimide innovation. In October 2024, the company became the world’s first to successfully mass-produce an ultra-thin, 4 μm non-stretched polyimide film, establishing a new benchmark in the global market. This proprietary technology, which achieves a thinner profile than the existing 5μm thickness while maintaining mechanical strength and thermal resistance, remains uniquely held by PI Advanced Materials, with no equivalent reported in the industry to date.
The recognition also highlights how the company’s accumulated expertise in molecular design, synthesis, and precision process control—refined through the development of its ultra-thin film—has translated into a high level of technical maturity in insulation materials for EV drive motors, further validating its comprehensive competitiveness in polyimide-based solutions.
It is especially meaningful for us to receive official recognition for our high-reliability insulation technology for 800V EV motors, following our earlier achievement with the 4μm ultra-thin film. This award reflects the dedication of our R&D teams and the continued trust and collaboration of our customers and partners worldwide. Looking ahead, we remain committed to advancing our portfolio of high-performance insulation and film solutions to meet the evolving needs of industries such as EVs, electronics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing