GS to Speak on Vegan Interior Materials for Cars at Smart Automotive Surfaces 2021
Materials Innovation in Silicone Rubber Creates a Vegan Leather for Smart Touch Controls
Hsinchu, Taiwan, Sept 23, 2021 – General Silicones (GS), a member of FlexTech Taiwan steering committee, is announcing it will share how innovations in silicone material properties allow for the mass production and integration of smart surfaces in the automotive sector. The presentation will be held by Dr. Anupam Mukherjee, Technical Director at the R&D Center of General Silicones, at the Smart Automotive Surfaces 2021 conference on October 7.
An Eco-Friendly Vegan Material for Touch Surfaces in Cars
Dr. Mukherjee will present Compo-SiL®, a silicone rubber-based material that acts as vegan leather for panels and upholstery while providing haptic sensation for touch surfaces and the ability to be integrated with electronics. GS solved the problem of the low wettability of cured silicone rubber with its unique patented technology that overcomes the challenge that excluded silicone rubber so far as material for broader use. Compo-SiL® is a green material that combines all the advantages silicone offers into vegan leather able to integrate with traditional and flexible hybrid electronics.
A Sustainable Material to Replace e-Plastic
Compo-SiL® is a vegan leather that is eco-friendly and has a low carbon footprint. Customers use it as an alternative to animal skin material and polymer-based faux-leather materials. It exhibits excellent mechanical strength, tunable elasticity, acts as a fire retardant, and its patented technology allows surface adhesion with standard industrial adhesives during mass production.
Digitally Printable with Modifiable Surface Properties
GS modifies the silicone rubber during manufacturing to have embossments and coloration based on customers’ requirements. For locations that require a firm grip with anti-slip properties, the friction coefficient of the material is modified to offer higher resistance. Unique for silicone rubber sheets is the ability for clients to digitally print the modified surface of Compo-SiL® silicone sheets with custom prints and designs during mass production.
Successful Partnerships
GS already successfully works with automotive component makers and touch panel suppliers to integrate Compo-SiL® based solutions into automotive interiors and touch panels. GS partners developed high-performance surfaces without compromising on comfort, innovations, and eco-friendliness with Compo-SiL®. During his presentation, Dr. Mukherjee will present further advancements and prototypes demonstrating how Compo-SiL®can be exploited to push the envelope of innovation for the next generations of smart cars, where green innovation is a must.
Anupam Mukherjee said, “We believe Compo-SiL® opens the door for innovation in the transportation industry that can take advantage of the many beneficial properties that silicone rubber has to offer in comparison to plastic polymers.” He added, “Our goal is to provide eco-friendly solutions for people’s daily lives, including cars, homes, offices, schools, hospitals, and other places.”
For more information on the presentation, visit the Smart Automotive Surfaces 2021 website at: https://www.itbgroup.com/smart-automotive-surfaces-2021/
About General Silicones
General Silicones (GS) was founded in 1970 in Taipei, Taiwan, and is now represented worldwide – including Europe, China, Japan, and South-East Asian countries. GS is a major distributor of silicone materials and an active silicone products manufacturer with ISO 9001, IATF 16949, and ISO 14001 certifications. The company has manufacturing plants in Hsinchu, Taiwan; Wujiang, China; and Bac Giang, Vietnam. With decades of experience in this field, GS has the ability and capacity to provide a wide range of silicone products for many industries, including medical, automobile, consumer products, electronics, and IT. For more information about GS, please visit www.generalsilicones.com. For more information on Compo-SiL®, please visit www.compo-sil.com