LCP副牌,5G天线这条线为什么离不开它

产品中心 发布时间: 2026-09-16 3626 阅读

Let's put a number here first: the increasingly tiny antenna in 5G phones and the transmission of high-frequency signals inside the device are increasingly relying on a kind of liquid crystal polymer—this is LCP. The global LCP resin market is highly concentrated, with the top six producers capturing about 70% of the capacity, and three foreign major manufacturers alone accounting for half of the market.

Many people don’t realize that the reason your phone is as thin as it is today is because of LCP. It can be injection-molded into millimeter-thin walls, has high-frequency dielectric stability, can withstand heat reflow soldering, and is relied upon for connectors, antennas, and high-speed connectors. But precisely with this material that is 'getting thinner and denser,' if you choose a substandard brand, the high-frequency performance will start to falter.

In Weinan, Shaanxi, there is a factory that manufactures 5G communication antennas and high-frequency connectors. Last year, they used a batch of secondary-brand LCPs. If the melt index matched, they would go straight to production. The dimensions were fine when tested, but during mass production sampling, they found that the dielectric constant varied by several tenths between batches. Several high-frequency batches had antenna resonances shifted, and entire batches had to be reworked. The problem isn’t whether secondary-brand LCPs can be used, it’s whether you know which parameter to monitor. Today, we’ll thoroughly explain secondary-brand LCPs.

What is LCP, and who is supplying it?

LCP, scientifically known as Liquid Crystal Polymer, is an aromatic polyester that can form a liquid crystal state at high temperatures. It flows extremely thinly, is heat-resistant, dimensionally stable, and has good high-frequency dielectric properties. It is a specialized material for 5G antennas, high-speed connectors, and thin-walled electronic components. Its key capability is that 'the thinner, the easier it flows; the finer, the better it molds,' making it essential for the tight, precise spaces inside mobile phones.

Global LCP is highly concentrated, according to market share and production capacity caliber (cross-verified by multiple industry institutions, 2025–2026):

Celanese (USA): Represents the brand Vectra LCP, with a leading market share, covering applications from high-frequency to automotive electronics, and having many grades;

Sumitomo Chemical (Japan): Its representative brand is Sumikasuper. According to its official website, it claims a global LCP market share of about 27%, ranking second. After the Ehime plant increases production by about 30% in 2023, it will have a system with an annual output of 12,000 tons.

Polyplastics (Japan): Representative grade LAPEROS, with a market share of about 15%, is known for thin-walled precision electronic components. In 2025, they further expanded with high-flow grades such as LH and TF.

Outside of these three, Toray Siveras, Kuraray, and others are also participants. Domestic materials are catching up, but the mainstream high-end market is still dominated by these three major foreign manufacturers.

What is a secondary card, and what is the difference in numbers?

The concept of LCP sub-brands is in line with other specialty materials.

Definition: Within the same manufacturer and the same brand, the portion that does not fully meet the official brand's indicators during factory inspection. For the same batch of polymer, products that meet the standards are labeled with the official brand, while minor deviations in certain indicators are considered sub-brand.

Four main sources: leftover material from starting and stopping production, transitional material from grade switching, batches with slight exceedances in melt index/color/one specific property due to process fluctuations, and leftover material from secondary lines.

It is still the original factory's native aggregated particles, with a molecular structure identical to the genuine brand. The distinction from recycled and reprocessed materials:

TypeSourceQualityTypical uses
genuine brandOriginal factory standard batchAll indicators meet the standards, high-frequency performance is stableHigh-frequency antennas, high-speed connectors
Side dishFactory batch not fully up to standardSome indicators slightly deviate, the substrate is homologousGeneral connectors, non-high-frequency components
Recycled material / Sprue materialProcessing scrap material into regranulateHas undergone one heat historyLow-demand products
Recycled materialRecycled Plastic PelletizingPerformance fluctuates greatlylow-end filling

Selenis Vectra: The main force in the high-frequency gear

Celanese Vectra is the most comprehensive grade in LCP, covering high-frequency, automotive electrical components, and connectors, capable of producing dozens of grades with mature high-frequency performance tuning. Its sub-brand floating items commonly include melt index and flow length, while the main dielectric performance is relatively stable.

For general connectors and non-highest-frequency structural components, Vectra's sub-brand is sufficient; for 5G high-frequency antennas and high-speed connectors, components whose dielectric performance needs to be accurate to several decimal places must be the main brand or carefully selected sub-brand. Packaging is divided into large and small packages, taken according to batch quantity.

Applicable scenarios: high-frequency connectors, automotive electrical components.

Sumitomo Sumikasuper: A veteran claiming to be second

Sumitomo Chemical Sumikasuper is a veteran player in the LCP industry. Its official website claims a global market share of about 27%, ranking second. The Ehime plant expanded in 2023 to an annual production of 12,000 tons. It has deep布局 in 5G, 6G high-speed communications, and automotive electronics, with both film-grade and progressive mold molding capabilities.

Its sub-brand has common liquidity and hue fluctuations, and the batches are relatively consistent. For communication structural components and antenna internal parts that are not at the highest frequency, this sub-brand is worth using. For high-frequency parts with particularly strict dielectric requirements, the main brand still needs to be used.

Applicable scenarios: communication antenna components, vehicle-mounted electrical equipment.

Polyplastics LAPEROS: Excels in thin-walled precision parts

Polyplastics LAPEROS focuses on thin-walled, precision electronic components. The new LH and TF grades released in 2025 have further improved fluidity and thin-wall molding, and are widely used in mobile phones and precision connectors.

Its secondary brand has a common fluctuation in flow length, suitable for general thin-walled parts with less stringent flow requirements. For making ultra-thin and dense mobile phone-grade precision parts, don’t bet on secondary brands. Together, the three companies are the main sources of foreign original manufacturers you can find for the LCP category.

Applicable scenarios: thin-walled electronic components, precision connectors.

Pitfall Avoidance: Which Numbers to Focus on for High-Frequency Items

The LCP sub-board is used for 5G communication parts, with three slots.

1. Focus on dielectrics. When making high-frequency antennas and high-speed connectors, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss must be measured to several decimal places per batch, not just relying on the flow index for machine use.

2. Fluidity for thin walls. Secondary brands often float with flowing length; thin-walled precision parts should be prototyped first to verify mold filling, do not rely on experience.

3. Batch consistency. Different batches of the same set of cards may have differences in dielectric properties and flow; samples of consecutive high-frequency components should be kept for batch tracking.

Packaging is only divided into large and small packs, don't be fooled by 'custom packaging' price increases.

Cologne Warehouse Spot|LCP Data

Main promoted brands: Celanese, Sumitomo Chemical (Japan), Polyplastics (Japan)

Main brands: Vectra, Sumikasuper, LAPEROS

Packaging specifications: Original factory packaging, available in large and small packs; small packs are sub-branded, boxed sub-branded, large pack material/ton package material are arranged by grade, stocked according to batch quantity.

Warehouse stock: LCP secondary brand warehouse stock around 5,000 tons

Spot details: small package secondary brand stock 800-1000 tons, carton secondary brand stock 300-500 tons, large package material/ton package material stock 3500-3900 tons

Supply Assurance: Test first, sign later. Before entering the factory, measure the key indicators once and then sign the contract if they match the intended use.

Selection Mnemonics and a Case from Weinan

Selection Tip Mnemonic:

High-frequency antennas, high-speed connectors, place an order again only after the dielectric is stuck.

For general connectors and structural parts, a secondary brand can save costs;

For melt flow index and flow length, first test thin-walled samples;

Dielectrics should be tested in batches, and high-frequency components should not be mixed in batches.

Recognize three original factory materials: Vectra, Sumikasuper, LAPEROS.

That factory in Weinan that makes 5G antennas and high-frequency connectors once suffered from the problem of 'if the melt finger index matched, it goes to the machine,' resulting in several batches of antennas being off-resonance and needing rework. Later, they replaced regular connectors with Seranis Vectra’s secondary brand, while still using the authentic Sumikasuper for high-frequency antenna parts, sampling and testing the dielectric by batch. The number of batches exceeding standards was almost zero, and the cost of incoming materials even dropped significantly. This demonstrates the value of focusing on the numbers—whether the secondary LCP brand can be used doesn’t depend on the price, but on whether the number you monitor is correct. Ningbo Cologne New Materials Co., Ltd. has been blending imported secondary LCP brands for many years and has handled numerous cases of communication component selection.

For an LCP of the same grade but a secondary brand, the dielectric constant usually fluctuates at the third decimal place, the linear shrinkage rate deviation is around 0.1 percentage points, and the molecular backbone and the main brand come from the same set of liquid crystal polymerization processes—focus on this number, and the secondary brand can still be used for high-frequency circuits.

Sources of information and data

Sumitomo Chemical Sumikasuper LCP Official Product Page (claims about 27% global market share, Ehime plant annual production of 12,000 tons)

Dataintelo, Industry Research LCP Market Report (Celanese, Sumitomo, Polyplastics Market Share and Capacity Caliber, 2026)

24 Chemical Research LCP Market Report (Celanese, Sumitomo, Polyplastics tier, 2026)

PW Consulting Global LCP Materials Market Report (2026)

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