Light-blocking tapes: Effective light shielding in photosensitive applications

Q: Why do displays need protection from UV light?

Without UV protection, displays will lose brilliance and quality of image , and the material itself will degrade, which may even result in yellowing over time. Using a polarizer film in the display stack is the most common solution to blocking out the worst of the UV light, but it has a relatively low aging performance – particularly at temperatures above 95 °C (203 °F). However, here at tesa, we have produced an optically clear adhesive (OCA) that combines adhesive strength with added UV resistance , enabling customers to create ambitious, long-lasting displays, designed to withstand the elements.

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Our assortment of light-blocking tapes helps you protect materials and products from UV or visible rays. They are used in many sectors to maintain the integrity and performance of both components and finished products.

As well as excellent optical light sealing, our light-blocking tapes feature very high peel strength and shear resistance. They perform well in demanding environmental conditions and offer excellent repulsion resistance properties. Our tapes provide effective light shielding and blocking for consumer electronics, protecting key photosensitive material during manufacturing and assembly processes. In automotive and aerospace industries, they offer optical light sealing and insulation in applications where light exposure needs to be minimized, such as around OLED cockpit displays. Additionally, light-blocking tapes are used in flexographic printing to prevent light from affecting the printing plates, ensuring high-quality reproduction.

Products

Find the right light-blocking solution today

Explore our comprehensive assortment of light-blocking tapes tailored for various applications. From automotive display solutions and optical light sealing to photosensitive material protection and display manufacturing tapes, our precision-engineered tapes offer reliable performance and protection. Use our product finder to quickly focus on your requirements and discover the ideal light blocking tape for your specific needs. With us, you will find the right tape for your light-sensitive application.

Applications

Keep your HMIs and displays clear and bright

From smartphone screens to car dashboards, a bright and efficient display with rich colors depends on advanced, highly transparent lamination adhesives. Together with our customers, our experts here at tesa have helped develop reliable and efficient production processes for the next generation of Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). Whether you are dealing with large, curved and head-up displays, or smart surfaces, our specially engineered display tapes allow you to create the designs and shapes of future HMIs.

Optically clear adhesive tapes with UV blocking features

Our high-transparency tesa® optically clear adhesive (OCA) solutions meet the automotive sector’s demand for low-haze adhesives that resist light, humidity, and temperature. For example, tesa® 88910 OCA provides exceptional UV blocking performance with a thickness of just 250µm. This OCA effectively protects all layers in the automotive display stack from harmful UV radiation, extending the longevity of sensitive automotive display components.

Covering tapes for precise light management

Additionally, our covering tapes protect tech products such as phones, notebooks, and watches like a second skin and offer precision light management. The PET film and polyimide tapes offer an ultra thin yet strong and reliable bonding force, low gloss level, solvent resistance, and effective light blocking for LCD and OLED screens. For example, tesa® Bond&Detach 706xx is a double-sided mounting tape series in black which offers effective light blocking in displays and mobile phone applications. Using it, components can be mounted permanently but also easily removed by stretching the adhesive, should they need to be repaired or recycled.

Why do displays need protection from UV light?

Without UV protection, displays will lose brilliance and quality of image, and the material itself will degrade, which may even result in yellowing over time. Using a polarizer film in the display stack is the most common solution to blocking out the worst of the UV light, but it has a relatively low aging performance – particularly at temperatures above 95 °C (203 °F). However, here at tesa, we have produced an optically clear adhesive (OCA) that combines adhesive strength with added UV resistance, enabling customers to create ambitious, long-lasting displays, designed to withstand the elements.