On March 10, 2017, Dow announced that Dow Corning, a global leader in silicones and silicon-based technologyand a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, unveiled an innovative UV curableopticalbondingsolution engineered to enhance the reliability and performance of automotive displays. Available in Asia and Europe,New Dow Corning (R) VE-6001 UV Optical Bonding Material delivers far higher thermal stability vs. organic materials, and its one-part silicone chemistry offers simpler processing than most competitive silicones.
   “As demand for more reliableautomotive displays continues to accelerate, conventional display-makers and tier suppliers are challenged to adapt their designs to perform better infar harsher environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures, high humidity and prolonged UV exposure,” said Rogier Reinders, global marketing directorfor Advanced Assembly Solutions at Dow Corning. “Our new VE 6001 Optical Bonding Material addresses these challenges by combining higher thermal stability, superior mechanical properties and greater optical performance in a simple one-part UV cure that adapts easily to incumbent optical bonding processes.”
   VE-6001 UV Optical Bonding Material reliably adheresa variety of cover window materials – including glass, acrylic and polycarbonate – to automotive LCD display modules. Compatible with common industry processes–such as dam and fill,patterning and slit coating – it exhibits controlled flow during processing, and improved deep section cure, depending on structures, with exposure to UV light.
   The new materialfurther exhibits less than one percent shrinkage, making it suitable for larger panel displays. After cure, it forms an extremely soft yet resilient cushioning layer that offers a unique combination of stress relief and dimensional stability for mechanically sensitive automotive touchscreens.
   Dow CorningVE-6001 UV Optical Bonding Material combines excellent optical performance with superior thermal stability vs. organic materials. It’s high (>99 percent)transmittance exhibits minimal haze (<0.01) and yellowing (< 0.3) even after prolonged exposure to common automotive environment test conditions.
   “The latest addition to Dow Corning’s proven portfolio of silicone solutions, this cutting-edge new technology delivers improved reliability for automotive display devices with excellent material processability,” said Reinders. “VE-6001 UV Optical Bonding Material is one more example of the proactive and collaborative innovation that has established Dow Corning as an industry leader in high-performance silicones for automotive assemblies.”