Dow launches Silastic MS-5002 moldable silicone

Midland, MI – Dow launched SILASTIC™ MS-5002 Moldable Silicone, a specialized liquid silicone rubber (LSR) featuring very low mold fouling for faster cycle times and high-quality optics in automotive adaptive driving beam (ADB) light guides. As the market trend for ADB headlights accelerates to mass production, optical matrix lens molders are looking to produce quality parts with higher throughput and less preventive maintenance. This new material has been specifically formulated for injection molded parts with less-complex geometries that require high-productivity manufacturing. It also features high transparency and non-yellowing to maximize LED light output, and a wide processing window.

SILASTIC™ MS-5002 Moldable Silicone complements and extends Dow’s existing portfolio of moldable optical materials for ADB headlights, which include SILASTIC™ MS-1002, SILASTIC MS-1001 and SILASTIC™ MS-4002 Moldable Silicone grades.

“As regulatory approval for Adaptive Driving Beams expands worldwide, demand for these cutting-edge, responsive headlights is growing,” said Mark Bradford, global segment leader for Lighting at Dow. “To help manufacturers ramp up production of high-quality, sustainable optical lenses for ADBs, Dow has developed a specialized moldable silicone that reduces weight compared to glass and plastic, and lowers energy requirements to produce each part. SILASTIC MS-5002 Moldable Silicone enables faster throughput, sharply reduces production downtime and surface degradation from mold fouling. We’ve also built a global ecosystem for ADBs, including regional technical centers and a network of molders, to support customers that choose our moldable silicones.”

Complementary to Other Dow Moldable Silicones

Each of the products that comprise Dow’s portfolio of moldable optical silicones for ADBs addresses a different set of customer requirements. SILASTIC™ MS-1002 Moldable Silicone is ideal for complex ADB geometries with 50-90 light guides, while the SILASTIC™ MS-4002 grade offers lower yellowing under humid conditions and the SILASTIC™ MS-1001 product provides low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to meet Asia-Pacific regulatory requirements. The new SILASTIC™ MS-5002 Moldable Silicone grade is targeted to customers that value high productivity when molding less-complex optical parts.

This expanded offering provides the industry with a broader array of options for designing and manufacturing ADB light guides.