UV blockers protect against harmful ultraviolet radiation from sources such as the sun and specialized lamps. They can be coatings, films, or integrated into products like plastics and fabrics. Shade screens also provide UV protection and can be adjusted to control sun exposure.
A UV blocker is something that is capable of at least partially blocking energy in the ultraviolet area of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Sun is a significant source of UV radiation, producing a variety of wavelengths that are within the UV range, and there are also sources such as specialized lamps that can produce light in this area of the spectrum. UV blocks are used for a wide variety of purposes.
Ultraviolet light can have beneficial effects, and indeed some organisms have adapted to using it because it is abundantly available. However, it can also be harmful. It can cause DNA damage, it can erode a wide variety of materials, it can cause pigments to fade, and it can just cause a painful sunburn. For these reasons, people have developed UV blocks for use in environments where ultraviolet light is potentially dangerous or undesirable.
The blocks often take the form of coatings that can be applied to surfaces to provide protection. An example of such a coating is a film that can be applied to glass. These films are used on car windows to protect components inside the car from UV damage and in things like shop windows, where prolonged exposure to sunlight causes fading over time. To provide this protection, UV block varnishes are also available for overlay products, including clear enamels which can be applied without distorting colour.
A UV blocker can also be integrated into a product. The blocks can be mixed into plastics, used to impregnate fabrics and so on, so the product is UV protected for life, with no worries about the coating or film peeling off over time. Products with built-in UV blockers tend to be more expensive because they are more expensive to manufacture, although the trade-off with a UV blocker is that the products will last longer than similar products that don’t have UV protection.
Shade screens are another form of UV blocking. In this case, something with UV resistance or something that will absorb the radiation is placed between a person or object and the Sun so that the ultraviolet radiation will not cause damage. Such products are adjustable, allowing users to move them with the sun and remove them if they are no longer needed. These products can be used to control sun exposure, such as when someone wants to tan briefly and then cover up to prevent skin damage.
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