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As days become shorter and weather poorer, silicone technology from Dow Corning is helping
keep automobile
drivers safe by allowing a new generation of brighter, safer and more reliable
headlamps.
“Improving visibility for the driver is one of the best ways to improve road
safety and comfort,” said Ed Joseph, senior technical service specialist, Dow
Corning. “New headlamp designs that are making our roads safer rely
increasingly on silicone materials to improve quality and performance.”
Advanced Lights Hug the Road
Dark corners are a thing of the past thanks to high-performance lubricants
that enable a new generation of adaptive headlights to turn with the front
wheels, illuminating the path around a corner. Able to see further down the
road, drivers can better anticipate obstacles and react in time to avert
serious accidents.
Silicone Adhesives Seal Out Dirt and Moisture
New silicone adhesive technologies help create headlamps that stand up to the elements,
and have an excellent performance record in automotive front lighting.
Silicones offer higher durability when exposed to water and high temperatures,
no volatile emissions to cloud lenses and excellent adhesion to glass, metal
and plastic. These properties allow the design of brighter headlamps that
improve driver safety.
Headlamps Last Longer with LEDs
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are increasingly replacing halogen and xenon light sources in new
headlamp assemblies. LEDs using silicone lenses provide performance and safety
benefits to taillights that turn on instantly, giving trailing drivers more
time to stop, offering better visibility for night-time drivers and lasting
longer than incandescent bulbs.
Silicones Banish Cloudy Lenses
Drivers no longer have to worry about lenses that become opaque and cloudy
over time, thanks to new silicone resins that replace polycarbonate
materials for lens molding. Silicone resins offer easier molding,
resistance to yellowing at elevated temperatures and overall higher light
transmission.
“For years, silicone materials have played a key role in improving driver
safety and ensuring performance in automotive exterior lighting applications,”
said Joseph. “In coming years, the versatility and flexibility of
silicones will continue to enable new innovations in fog and headlamp
design.”
About Dow Corning
Dow Corning provides
performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000
customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and
innovation, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 products and services via the
company’s Dow Corning® and XIAMETER® brands. Dow Corning is
a joint venture equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning,
Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the
United States.
For further information, please direct inquiries to one of our media
representatives.
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