WACKER Presents Highly Transparent Liquid Silicones for Optical Elements

On October 16, 2014, WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, announced it will focus on its liquid silicone elastomer portfolio and especially on its LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 product range at this year’s Fakuma international tradeshow for plastics processing. The range consists of liquid silicone rubber grades that cure to form highly transparent elastomers. The cured rubber grades are crystal clear, can withstand high thermal stress and can be cost-effectively injection-molded on a large scale. The product line is ideal for the manufacture of lenses and other optical elements in lighting technology. Fakuma takes place in Friedrichshafen, Germany, from October 14 to 18.
   When lamps or lighting systems have to be produced in large quantities, transparent silicones offer advantages over conventional optical materials. For this reason, WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, developed its new LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 product line for the manufacture of optical components.
   With these highly transparent liquid silicones, cost-efficient, largescale production of high-quality optical components is now possible. Thanks to a special formulation strategy, the cured LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 rubber features exceptionally high transparency and allows visible light to pass through virtually unhindered. At the same time, it is able to withstand prolonged exposure to temperatures of up to 180 °C. Unlike highly transparent thermoplastics such as polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate, LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 does not tend to yellow. The cured rubber remains colorless even at high temperatures and under long-term exposure to artificial or natural light, including ultraviolet radiation. The elastomers are resistant to aging and weathering and are electrically insulating, water-repellent and low-temperature flexible.
   The LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 product range contains four grades, which reach Shore A hardnesses between 50 and 80. LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 can be injection-molded without any problems. This makes it possible to cost-effectively produce even delicately structured molded parts on a large scale. Thanks to their excellent thermal stability, optical components made of LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 can be used in combination with xenon lamps or high-performance LEDs, for example. In adaptive headlight systems, optical elements made of LUMISIL (R) LR 7600 can help to ensure that the road is optimally illuminated under any traffic conditions.