Parylenes are chemically and biologically inert and stable and make excellent barrier materials.
Parylenes are almost completely unaffected by solvents, have low bulk permeability and are hydrophobic. Coatings easily pass a 100hr salt-spray test.
Parylenes have excellent electrical properties: low dielectric constant and loss with good high-frequency properties; good dielectric strength; and high bulk and surface resistivities.
Parylenes have good thermal endurance: Parylene C performs in air without significant loss of physical properties for 10 years at 80°C and in the absence of oxygen to temperatures in excess of 200°C.
Parylenes are transparent and can be used to coat optical elements.
Coatings perform well as dry lubricants: static and dynamic friction coefficients are equal and comparable to fluoropolymers with the advantage that they also have good wear and abrasion resistance.
FDA approval of parylene-coated devices is well-documented. The coatings comply with USP Class VI Plastics requirements and are MIL-I-46058C / IPC-cc-830B listed (as class XY).