Known as a leading creator of silicon technologies and materials, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 silicone materials and solutions.
The Dow Corning® Active Protection System, introduced last year, is a ‘smart’ impact-protective textile, which provides protection without impeding freedom of movement and flexibility.
The smart impact protection system uses a silicone coating that remains soft and flexible under normal conditions. When struck by a high impact force, such as a cricket ball, the material hardens instantly to help protect the wearer against injury. When the impact force is removed, the material immediately returns to a flexible state.
Dow Corning has also developed a breakthrough technology for screen printing inks that permits utilisation on a wide range of high performance garments. The new silicone based inks give better durability, a good finish, better colour fastness and high elongation on elastic fabrics. Anthony Feng, the Global Textile Industry Director, explained, “Modern athletes demand equipment and apparel that combines protection with latest looks. Such developments in silicone technology allow manufacturers to deliver maximum performance, offering advanced protection while enhancing the aesthetic appeal and comfort of their products”.
