By Michael Lauzon
CORRESPONDENT
Published: October 8, 2014 9:11 am ET
Updated: October 8, 2014 9:16 am ET

Image By: Sabic Innovative Plastics
The first two nylon 6 grades of Sabic's Konduit line for LED fixtures are available in white and black.

Sabic Innovative Plastics has new nylon 6 grades in its Konduit product line that it touts for solving thermal management in LED lighting fixtures.

The new materials are suitable for making heat sinks that help extend the life of LEDs, according to the engineering polymer firm based in Pittsfield, Mass. Use of the Konduit grades alone or in conjunction with aluminum allows design freedom and can eliminate the need for conventional metal heat sinks that require secondary processing, according to Sabic.

The Konduit materials address a key issue in lighting: cost.

“Unlike other appliance and electronics categories, in which consumes and end-users are willing to pay a premium for a better product, purchasing decisions in the lighting category are highly price-driven,” explains Sabic IP director of electrical and lighting markets Venugopal Koka.

Konduit PX13012 and PX11311U have inherent electrical isolation properties and meet UL ratings for flame resistance, simplifying a switch to the resins without designing an additional housing. The two products have enhanced mechanical properties. The first grade is a black, cost-effective compound for heat sinks and the second is a white material with enough reflectivity to also act as a reflector.

Tel. 413-448-7110.