Covestro's Polycarbonate Blend Offers Flame Retardance for LED Fixtures

Covestro's Polycarbonate Blend Offers Flame-Retardant Properties for LED Luminaires

Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting continues to gain popularity due to various advantages such as energy efficiency, longer service life and superior performance. Thermal management ensures LEDs operate effectively and efficiently, contributing to long-term performance. With this need in mind, PowerSecureLighting approached Covestro LLC to find ideal flame-retardant material for LED lamp components used in Solais® products. Bayblend® FR3010 polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC + ABS) blend from Covestro is used in Solais' trackhead and module family lines. These LED luminaires can be used in a variety of applications, including upscale retail, commercial, hospitality, healthcare facilities and other environments. Two components are molded from the lightweight Bayblend® PC + ABS blend; one holds the lamp fan to allow cooling of the module and power supply; the other forms the electrical enclosure around the power supply. These two externally invisible components are critical to product performance. The Bayblend® FR3010 PC + ABS blend meets the UL 94 5VA flammability standard, which other materials previously in use could not achieve. Daniel Miller, Vice President of Product Development and Engineering at PowerSecure Lighting, said, "Because we use non-segmented power supplies, these products have a specific flammability standard requirement." "Given this need, the flame-retardant properties of Covestro's material have been extremely beneficial to the overall design and functionality of our products." Kevin Dunay, Polycarbonates Industry Manager at Covestro LLC, said, "LED lighting OEMs continuously explore ways to develop their product lines to meet the needs of the markets they serve." "Working with OEMs and product designers, we ensure they have ideal materials to bring their concepts to fruition," he said.