With Zenimid™, Arkema and PI Advanced Materials aim to meet growing demand for ultra-durable materials in high-stress environments, helping formulators and manufacturers raise the bar for performance coatings worldwide.
Arkema, in partnership with its affiliate PI Advanced Materials, has unveiled Zenimid™,
a newly branded line of ultra-high-performance polyimide materials, marking a major advancement in its specialty materials portfolio. With this launch, Arkema aims to reinforce its leadership in high-performance polymers, with a sharpened focus on paints, coatings, and demanding industrial applications.
Zenimid™ represents the next generation of high-performance polyimide engineered for extreme operating conditions—ideal for environments requiring exceptional thermal stability, chemical resistance, electrical insulation, and dimensional integrity. These attributes make it particularly valuable for advanced coatings used in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and heavy industrial sectors.
Available in film, varnish, and stock shapes, Zenimid™ is designed to serve critical roles in applications such as flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs), graphite sheets for smart devices, battery management systems (BMS), and components in 5G infrastructure. In the coatings sector, its unmatched heat resistance and electrical insulation properties make it a compelling choice for protective coatings in high-voltage systems, thermal barriers, and chemically aggressive environments.
PI Advanced Materials, now under Arkema’s majority ownership with a 54% stake, is the pioneer behind the world’s first non-stretched ultra-thin polyimide film at just 4 micrometres. With a leading share in the global polyimide film market, the company’s rebranding of its flagship material to Zenimid™ signals a strategic shift to elevate the brand's visibility and market penetration.
“The name Zenimid™ fuses Zenith and Polyimide, underscoring our mission to deliver peak-performance materials. This rebrand not only strengthens our global presence but also allows us to better serve the coatings and industrial sectors with cutting-edge, durable solutions,” has stated HeeJoon Ham, Chief Financial and Strategy Officer at PI Advanced Materials.
The addition of Zenimid™ enhances Arkema’s already robust lineup of high-performance polymers, including Rilsan® PA11, Rilsamid® PA12, Pebax® TPE, Kynar® PVDF, Orgasol® PA12 powders, and Kepstan® PEKK—materials widely used in specialty coatings, surface protection, and demanding functional finishes.