How does the weather resistance of silicone rubber affect its application in the field of lighting fixtures?
The weather resistance of silicone rubber plays a crucial role in its application in the field of lighting fixtures, mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Ensuring Long - term Sealing Performance
Outdoor lighting fixtures such as street lamps and garden lamps are exposed to the natural environment for a long time and have to endure climatic conditions such as exposure to sunlight and rain, and alternating high and low temperatures. Silicone rubber has excellent weather resistance and can maintain stable physical properties and elasticity under these complex environments. Its seals can closely adhere to various components of the lighting fixtures for a long time. For example, at the connection between the lamp cover and the lamp body, it forms a reliable sealing barrier, continuously blocking the intrusion of rainwater, dust, and other impurities, preventing the internal circuit components of the lighting fixture from being damaged due to moisture and dust accumulation, thus ensuring the normal operation of the lighting fixture and extending its service life.
Compared with some other sealing materials, ordinary rubber and the like may easily harden, become brittle, or crack under the long - term effects of ultraviolet radiation and temperature changes, resulting in a decline in sealing performance. However, with its outstanding weather resistance, silicone rubber can maintain good sealing effects during the use process of up to several years or even decades.
Maintaining Stable Heat Dissipation Performance
Lighting fixtures generate heat during operation, especially high - power LED lighting fixtures, where the heat dissipation problem is of great importance. The weather resistance of silicone rubber heat - dissipation pads ensures that their thermal conductivity and softness can be stably maintained under different environmental conditions.
In high - temperature environments, silicone rubber does not experience performance degradation like some ordinary materials, resulting in a decrease in thermal conductivity. In low - temperature environments, it does not harden and become brittle, losing its good adhesion to heating elements. This enables the silicone rubber heat - dissipation pads to continuously and closely adhere to heating elements such as LED chips and drive power supplies, efficiently transfer heat, ensure that the lighting fixture can dissipate heat normally under various climatic conditions, maintain a stable operating temperature, and thus extend the service life of the lighting fixture and improve its luminous efficiency.
Ensuring Stable Optical Performance
The lenses and lamp covers of some lighting fixtures are made of silicone rubber materials, and its weather resistance plays a key role in the stability of the optical performance of the lighting fixture. The ultraviolet resistance of silicone rubber makes it less likely to turn yellow and age under long - term illumination, and it can always maintain a high light transmittance, effectively reducing the scattering and absorption of light, and ensuring that the lighting effect of the lighting fixture does not significantly decline with time and environmental changes.
If the material has poor weather resistance and phenomena such as yellowing and aging occur after long - term outdoor use, the light transmittance will be reduced, and the color of the light may also change, affecting the lighting quality and visual effect of the lighting fixture. The good weather resistance of silicone rubber avoids the occurrence of these problems, ensuring that the lighting fixture can provide stable and high - quality lighting throughout its service life.
Guaranteeing the Reliability of Installation and Fixing Components
The silicone rubber used to make lighting fixture installation accessories (such as hooks, bracket pads, etc.) has weather resistance, which ensures the stability and reliability of these accessories in outdoor environments.
Whether it is in the heat of high - temperature summers or the cold of freezing winters, silicone rubber accessories can maintain good flexibility and wear resistance, continuously providing stable support and fixation for the lighting fixture. For example, during long - term use, silicone rubber hooks will not become brittle and break due to environmental factors, can always bear the weight of the lighting fixture, and maintain good anti - slip performance, ensuring that the lighting fixture is firmly installed and reducing the risk of damage or falling of the lighting fixture due to vibration and wear.
Low compression set precipitated silicone rubber
