Even the thinnest, fastest, and highest resolution computer, tablet, or mobile phone is only as good as its user interface, which is why Dow Corning and its XIAMETER? brand provide a range of silicone products to improve the performance of keyboards and touchscreens.

"Whether you prefer the tactile sensation of typing on keys, or swiping, pinching and tapping a touchscreen, you expect accuracy, durability and reliability from the device," said Ivan Mini, rubber global market manager for the XIAMETER brand. "Silicones play a key role in the effectiveness and longevity of these hi-tech products."

In keyboards and keypads, XIAMETER liquid silicone rubbers (LSRs) help deliver soft, elastic contact for button activation and unique recovery after applied pressure. This enables a responsive click feeling, which provides a sense of movement and feedback for accurate data entry in products such as telephones, game consoles, computers, and remote controls. LSRs also resist water, environmental contaminants, and many cleaning agents, withstand a wide range of temperatures, and exhibit long-term durability and resilience even after repeated use.

The XIAMETER brand offers XIAMETER RBL-2004 Series LSR and the new XIAMETER RBL-9200 Series LSR as product families potentially suitable for use in keypad applications.

For touchscreens, Dow Corning has developed a range of innovative silicone solutions to address the demand for low - and ultra low - adhesion protective films for electronic devices. These solutions can help protect delicate components during shipping, handling, storage and manufacturing, and can protect them throughout consumer use.

"It doesn't matter how high the resolution of the screen is if it is covered with smudges and scratches," said Chris Velasquez, global market manager for Dow Corning. "Keeping surfaces scratch-free and easy to clean is a need that has become more evident with the increase in the many devices where operation is controlled by touch."

Protective films fabricated with innovative silicone technologies from Dow Corning offer surface protection for TFT and LCD screens, touch panels, optical films, flexible printed circuit boards and other components with sensitive surfaces.

For example, Dow Corning 7651 Adhesive and Dow Corning 7652 Adhesive provide a clean, easy-to-remove, optically-transparent adhesive for protective films. And recently launched in Asia, Dow Corning AY42-258 Hard Coating makes electronic surfaces easier to clean by providing superior water repellency, better mar resistance, greater hardness, and better grease-removal capability.