LED lamps and lanterns with organic thermal plastic good market prospects

LED as a generation of new light source, the efficiency of the light and life working temperature has a direct relationship with the chip, heat dissipation problems have always been the focus of attention. Design of lamps and lanterns of LED chips encapsulation or application, often need to pass the heat generated by the thermal conductive materials to release the leds, used in cooling costs also occupies the system costs about 20% ~ 30%, the proportion of looking for cost-effective cooling solutions has also become a industry goal. At the same time, along with the rapid development of LED lighting applications, and to the general consumers, lamps and lanterns of automation of scale production, cost control, safety, and lightweight requirement also is increasing day by day. 
At present in the production of LED lighting light source and lamps and lanterns, the main development more mature for traditional aluminum metal or ceramic material cooling system (heat sink), these two kinds of material the initial thermal conductivity excellent performance. But, metal aluminum molding process cycle is long, and conductive factors such as the material itself, is not conducive to the diversification of lighting products design, also increase the cost meet the safety requirements of design. And while a ceramic insulation, but higher than major, molding difficulty, and mass production is not easy to achieve also raised its use cost, brings to the wide application of the limit. Organic thermal conductive plastic cooling solutions for design, insulation, lightweight, flexible features, for the production of LED lighting products provides a new train of thought and solution, the recent business step by step in the design and production of lamps and lanterns, gaining rapid development. 
First, the mechanism of thermal conductive plastic cooling 
The design idea of the traditional thought, LED lamps and lanterns is good to heat dissipation must use high thermal conductivity of metal radiator, but this concept is actually not quite right. Studies have shown that object will be cooling main materials of heat conduction, radiation and air and interface of the three major factors affecting natural convection radiator, as shown in figure 1. Metal, because of the large thermal conductivity naturally become an important consideration, heat dissipation material plastic because of its small coefficient of thermal conductivity, so for a long time not seen. However, with the development of composite technology, thermal conductivity sharply were obtained through the modification of organic materials of ascension, and the metal material has better thermal radiation ability, comprehensive heat dissipation effect is also gradually to rival with metal materials, and shows better economic applicability. 
About the relation of material coefficient of thermal conductivity and temperature difference is shown in figure 2, the coefficient of thermal conductivity is less than 5, belong to limited heat transfer, in this case the thermal conductivity small changes will make the change of the temperature difference is very big. The conventional plastic coefficient of thermal conductivity are below 1, so if used in the cooling system will lead to the junction temperature rising rapidly, will reduce the service life of the LED lamps and lanterns. , however, the coefficient of thermal conductivity is greater than 5, even reach more than 10, the heat convection dominated the shift, convection restricted conditions, especially the heat when the thickness of the material in 5 mm and the following cases, the influence of the coefficient of thermal conductivity on temperature difference approach to zero, the influence of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of materials on the chip junction temperature decrease sharply. 
In addition, the function of the radiator in addition to can quickly to the heat from the heat source conduction to the surface of the radiator, finally by convection and radiation heat transfer to the air. Although the ability of thermal conductivity of the metal itself is better than plastic, but the main purpose of the lamps shell radiator is the heat into the air. Coefficient of thermal conductivity is high, only solved the problem of heat conduction, the heat are mainly composed of cooling area, cooling interface shape, natural convection and thermal radiation ability, these almost nothing to do with thermal conductivity of materials. Organic plastic so as long as have the heat transfer capacity of a certain size, coupled with good thermal radiation, can also be a good cooling solution, as shown in table 1. That is to say, if the heat from the heat source to plastic radiator surface distance of less than 5 mm, so as long as the heat sink material coefficient of thermal conductivity is greater than 5, organic plastic in heat dissipation ability is the difference of metal material is not so significant, that makes it possible to realize metal replacement. 
Second, the thermal conductivity of plastic analysis of the advantages 
LED lighting products on the market at present almost all the radiator for metal or ceramic materials, this kind of product of radiator than major. And, aluminum radiator production in the process of forming processes (such as aluminum die casting, casting, die-casting, polishing, polishing, nickel plating, a series of nitride process), molding cycle is long, the equipment occupy large space. Ceramic material molding process is more complicated, single shape and mass production is not easy to realize automation, the cost is relatively higher. Compared with the commonly used two kinds of materials, organic thermal conductive plastics were showed many advantages: 
1. The lightweight 
The density of pure aluminum is 2700 kg/m3, the density of aluminum is larger, and the density of thermal conductive plastics is in commonly 1500 ~ 2000 kg/m3, adopting thermal conductive plastic cooling can significantly reduce the weight of the lighting products (about 30% ~ 50%), lightweight lighting products, effectively reduce installation, transportation of indirect costs. 
2. Design high degrees of freedom 
Design degrees of freedom is the prominent advantages of organic thermal conductive plastic. Aluminum radiator is the main production methods of the die casting or stretch forming, in the process of production is more difficult for complex shape processing. Organic plastic and good liquidity, can produce very thin parts, and design more complex shapes, can be further realizing the light products. And injection products and beautiful, smooth finish good, can do not need to subsequent paint spraying, such as process conditions to realize the diversification of product color. 
3. Mass production scale 
Can a molding plastic thermal conductive materials, need not after processing, easy to implement large-scale mass production, achieve economies of scale. Effectively reduce the aluminum material after extrusion molding process after deflashing, nickel plating, etc. At the same time, mould wear is aluminum alloy material production such as small, long service life, reduce the processing cycle and cost. 
4. Safe and simplify the structure of the power supply 
Aluminum radiator because of its high conductivity, if use the isolation type power supply it is hard to through high voltage testing certification. Plastic insulation properties, has the absolute superiority in the high voltage test, adopting the isolation type lamps and lanterns of power production become a possibility, not only can reduce cost, make the product design is more compact, more important is to reduce the metal shell in the process of conducting the users may produce the safe hidden trouble. 
In addition, from the point of whole life cycle, more environmentally friendly organic composite material, the metal material production, less energy consumed by the production process pollution is small, meeting the needs of national energy conservation and emissions reduction, energy saving. 
Third, market competition analysis 
Thermal conductive plastic products production technology route and general engineering plastics is chosen mostly based on the material of plastic, such as PPS, PET, ABS, PP, PA (Nylon), EP, etc. General plastic thermal conductivity is only about 0.2 ~ 0.3 W/mK, by filling in the plastic packing of heat conducting and the subsequent processing, organic thermal conductivity of the composite material can be up to 1 W/mK ~ 20 W/mK, traditional plastic thermal conductivity of 5 ~ 100 times. Application requirements, in order to meet different occasions by adopting different base material and packing, can form the insulating thermal conductive plastic products and the insulation, flame retardant and non flame retardant, high toughness and high strength product such as a variety of types. 

----------Archled Technology Co.,Limited