LG Innotek unveils 100mW UV-C LED
Sterilisation LED technology has been 'advanced by two years' says company
South Korean LED company LG Innotek has developed a 100mW UV-C LED, which it says is two years ahead of industry forecasts predicting its development in 2020.
UV-C LED is a product that emits ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 200 to 280nm. It is used in sterilising and hardening devices with its ability to destroy bacterial DNA and cause chemical reactions with special materials. LG Innotek's product emits UV in the range of 278nm.
UV-C LED can produce more powerful sterilising effects with higher light output, but it is very difficult to obtain a stable quality in products with it due to the heat generated.
LG Innotek says it has overcome the technological limit by applying an epitaxial structure and vertical chip technology that maximise light extraction. The ultraviolet output is raised and the heat is discharged effectively, ensuring stable quality reliability. One 100mW UV-C LED can emit strong sterilisation ultraviolet light for more than 10,000 hours.
As the product can rapidly sterilise flowing water and even air, it can be used in a wide array of household appliances from water purifiers and air purifiers to air conditioning systems for buildings and automobiles as well as water treatment devices, according to the company.
Conventional UV-C LEDs with a light output level of 1 to 2mW are mostly used for portable sterilisers or small household appliances. Due to their weak UV-C power, their scope of application is limited.
LG Innotek has already introduced a range of UV-C-based products including, earlier this year, a 40 to 45W UV LED steriliser for escalator handrails.
The UV LED market is expected to more than triple to $526 million by 2020 from $166 million of last year. In particular, the portion of UV-C in the market will increase from $28 million to $244 million during the same period, leading the company's growth.
