Four popular materials in the LED industry in 2014

In recent years, with the advocacy of global energy saving and emission reduction and the support of relevant government policies of various countries, LED lighting has developed rapidly. Compared with traditional light sources, it has the advantages of long life, small size, energy saving, high efficiency, fast response, earthquake resistance, and no pollution. It is considered to be a "green lighting source" that can enter the field of general lighting. At the same time, with the development of technology With the improvement, various high-tech materials in the LED industry continue to emerge, accelerating the price reduction of LED lamps, so that they are gradually accepted by everyone. Large-scale application of LEDs in general lighting is an inevitable trend.

Which materials are more popular in the LED industry in 2014?

sapphire

As we all know, sapphire glass is not only a popular innovation for Apple, it was selected as the screen material for iPhone6 and iWatch, but what everyone does not understand is that he emerged in the LEDOFweek semiconductor lighting network industry. According to the 2014 Global Sapphire Substrate Market Report, it is estimated that the proportion of non-LED market applications will reach 32% in 2014, and the demand for handheld application devices will reach 21%. Increased demand in the LED and non-LED markets will also bring brilliant performance and prospects to the sapphire industry. It means that the utilization rate of LED is still the mainstream market of sapphire in recent years. Of course, the most important thing is the price.

Viewpoint: Although the sapphire heat wave is higher than the wave, for now, LED is still the first demand driver in the sapphire industry. LED substrate demand accounts for 80% of sapphire applications, and the LED boom is basically synchronized with the sapphire cycle. According to the survey of the industry chain, the price of 2-inch (per millimeter) sapphire ingot has risen from US$3.5 at the beginning of the year to US$4; the price of 4-inch sapphire ingots has increased from US$12.5 at the beginning of the year to US$15. The lighting cycle started in 2014, and the supply and demand pattern is expected to return to the boom in 2010. Therefore, it is expected that the price of sapphire will continue to rise in 2014 and enter the industry cycle.

Thermally conductive plastic

Thermally conductive plastics are increasingly replacing metal components for thermally conductive components of LED lamps, including lamp holders, cooling lamps and housings. Compared with metal materials, thermally conductive plastics have the characteristics of uniform heat dissipation, light weight and flexible design.

Plastic LED lamps become popular in the market

The reason for this is that LED bulbs are so popular, not only because they were included in the subsidy scope for the first time last year, but also because LED bulbs are the largest market in the civilian market for replacing traditional light sources. The embrace of LED bulb light.

Why can LED bulbs attract so many manufacturers? It is because these manufacturers see the business opportunities of LED bulbs. LED bulbs have low power. As long as the heating temperature of the components is not too high, the requirements for plastics are not so high. Therefore, many manufacturers have launched many cheap plastic LED bulbs since the beginning of this year. However, the plastic used in these cheap LED bulbs is often not a thermally conductive plastic, but a general-purpose plastic or engineering plastic.

Thermally conductive plastic has its own advantages

It is understood that the traditional heat dissipation materials of the lamp housing are of the following three types: aluminum and other gold, general plastics and ceramics. Compared with metal materials, thermally conductive plastics have the characteristics of uniform heat dissipation, light weight, high safety factor, and flexible design. Compared with ceramics, thermally conductive plastics are sturdy, easy to form and process, and have more freedom in modeling and design. Compared with general plastics, thermally conductive plastics And the expansion coefficient is relatively high.

High color rendering phosphor

With the continued high-speed penetration of LEDs in the general lighting market, LED phosphor suppliers will usher in a high-speed growth period of shipments. The industry predicts that the phosphor market in 2019 will increase from US$353 million in 2014 to US$442 million. Germany Merck is well known in the country as a supplier of liquid crystal raw materials for displays, but its LED phosphors are also at the world's leading level.

Improve the high color rendering index of LED phosphor is the key

With the expansion of LEDs in the field of indoor lighting applications, how to develop more suitable lamps for indoor lighting has become the focus of many companies. In fact, the pursuit of high color rendering index and high light efficiency of LED lighting products in the industry has never stopped. But in theory, high color rendering index and high light efficiency are a pair of contradictions, there is an inverse relationship, how to find the balance between them is the key to indoor lighting technology breakthroughs.

LED glue

Since last year, the LED industry has started to pick up, and the substantial growth of the lighting industry has made the LED glue industry a hit. LED downstream terminal manufacturers are aware that brands and channels are the magic weapon to win. For glue companies, the brand effect has increasingly become the key to their foothold in the market. In the glue industry with a large enterprise base, the market pattern has become clear.

Especially as the cost of LED lighting drops further, the domestic LED glue market will also usher in a new round of outbreaks. Since 2012, lighting products have fought a "price war", companies are constantly seeking cost reduction rules, and domestic accessories are undoubtedly an inevitable choice for companies to reduce costs.