Dow Corning, a global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, launched new Dow Corning® MS-1001 Moldable Silicone for LED lighting applications today here at Light + Building 2014 (Booth A51, Hall 4.0). In addition to offering the ultra-high clarity, good moldability and photo-thermal stability for which the Dow Corning family of Moldable Silicones is known, MS-1001 Moldable Silicone introduces the product line's highest hardness material of the family. Delivering a Shore D 25 hardness after cure, this advanced new silicone technology enables breakthrough LED lighting designs that demand high hardness optical parts, finer details and excellent reproduction of mold features.

"The driving principle of Dow Corning's growing optical silicones portfolio is to enhance performance, improve reliability and expand design freedoms while enabling a new, higher-performing generation of LED lamp and luminaires," said Kaz Maruyama, Global Strategic Marketing Director, Lighting Solutions at Dow Corning. "The high hardness of MS-1001 Moldable Silicone extends the brand's promise by allowing breakthrough new lighting architectures and concepts that are further enhanced by silicone's proven reliability over the lifetime of a luminaire."

MS-1001 Moldable Silicone shares the product line's ability to be injection molded into complicated geometric shapes, thicker or bigger parts with reasonable molding cycle times compared with organic materials.

Dow Corning MS-1001 Moldable Silicone is ideally suited for LED secondary optics applications, such as light pipes and light guides that diffuse, focus and distribute light. Additionally, the high-heat and photo-thermal stability of the material enables optics that can withstand close proximity and alignment with high-brightness LED dies, which is not possible with optics manufactured from plastics.

Dow Corning technology experts are on hand at Light+Building to discuss the design possibilities and processing parameters of new MS-1001 Moldable Silicone, as well as other innovative products from the company's expanding portfolio of optical silicones for LED lamp and luminaire applications.

Light+Building is the world's leading trade fair for architecture, lighting and technology. The event is held from March 30 to April 4, 2014 at the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Center.