Shining examples

Light needs energy – but at a time of climate change, energy must be saved. Besides energy-saving lightbulbs, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) offer particularly high potential for this. In the production and further development of these systems, the lighting industry is relying on proven materials such as Vectra® LCP high-performance plastic.

More than 20 years ago, European lightbulb manufacturers laid the foundations for efficient lighting with energy-saving lightbulbs. The reason for this development is clear. The type of lightbulb invented by Thomas Alva Edison in 1880, which – in terms of its basic operating principle – is still used today, converts only five percent of electrical energy into visible light. The rest is dissipated as heat. Energy-saving lightbulbs, by contrast, consume about 80 percent less energy. Even more economic are LEDs or organic light-emitting diodes (so-called OLEDs). By switching to this modern lighting technology, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Europe alone could be reduced by 28 megatonnes per annum. This represents about 50 million barrels of oil – or the CO2 consumption of a billion trees.

Economical from the start

Ticona materials, including Vectra® LCP, have long been successfuly used In housings, reflectors and lamp bases. A good example is the energy-saving lamp. To cut production costs, lamp bases today are no longer made of ceramics but from plastics. High heat resistance, low outgassing, good surface finish and easy coloration are key arguments for using the liquid crystal polymer. The good flowability and high strength of LCP save weight and material at the same time. Compared with previous models, the wall thickness of the lamp housing can be halved.

Lighting design for new light systems

In LED lamps, too, this high-performance polymer makes a valuable contribution to sustainability. Halogen-free flame retardancy, good dimensional stability and precision processing are important advantages that Vectra® LCP offers for the production of a new generation of LEDs. LCP also has the right properties to create a very compact housing, since it not only provides the required design freedom but also allows electrical and mechanical components to be integrated by molded-interconnect-device technology (MID). This makes it possible to produce very small light-emitting diodes with a flat profile.

LCP is inherently flame-retardant and protects sensitive components from the temperatures of up to 260°C required in reflow soldering, especially with the new generation of lead-free solders. Because of its good dimensional stability and low thermal expansion coefficient, the plastic can be processed to high precision with virtually no flash. Warpage and dimensional changes are therefore reduced to a minimum.

New lighting dimension

Flicker-free light-emitting diodes shine more brightly than their predecessors and have a service life of over 100 000 hours. They can be used for normal room lighting but also offer many different possibilities for municipal street lighting. Now the first vehicles with this innovative lighting technology are starting to come off the production line. The future, however, belongs to organic light-emitting diodes, which consume even less energy. Although they are currently used mainly in displays, lighting manufacturers are already working on making them usable as a primary light source.