Maya Ellison
Polycarbonate is a versatile and durable thermoplastic polymer with a range of applications across industries. Its unique properties, such as impact resistance, transparency, and electrical insulation, make it a popular choice for engineers and manufacturers. However, there is some debate about whether polycarbonate should be categorized as a hard or soft plastic. While it is known for its strength, stiffness, and heat resistance, it is also pliable and can be easily machined and formed without cracking or breaking. This adaptability makes it challenging to classify polycarbonate definitively as either hard or soft.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Polycarbonate is a hard and stiff thermoplastic. However, it can be classified as a soft plastic during routing and machining. |
| Strength | Polycarbonate has outstanding strength and impact resistance. |
| Stiffness | Polycarbonate has high stiffness. |
| Transparency | Polycarbonate is transparent and has good optical clarity. |
| Electrical Insulation | Polycarbonate is an excellent electrical insulator. |
| Flammability | Polycarbonate has limited resistance to high temperatures and is not inherently flame retardant. However, it can be made flame retardant with additives. |
| Chemical Sensitivity | Polycarbonate is sensitive to certain chemicals, solvents, and cleaning agents. |
| Food Contact | Polycarbonate is not suitable for direct food contact due to concerns about the potential release of bisphenol A (BPA). However, BPA-free options are available. |
| UV Resistance | Polycarbonate has good resistance to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. |
| Thermoforming | Polycarbonate is easy to thermoform and can be processed and formed at room temperature. |
| Machining | Polycarbonate is easy to machine and has excellent dimensional stability. |
| Molding | Polycarbonate is easy to mold and can be molded at certain elevated temperatures. |
| Painting | Polycarbonate is easy to paint and bonds well using solvent cements or adhesives. |
| Cost | Polycarbonate can be more expensive than some other plastics. |
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What You'll Learn
Polycarbonate is a hard, stiff thermoplastic
Polycarbonate is a popular choice for engineers and manufacturers due to its unique combination of strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. It is considered virtually unbreakable, with impact resistance up to 250 times greater than glass and 30 times greater than acrylic. This makes it ideal for applications such as machine guards, signs, architectural glazing, face shields, skylights, and POP displays.
Polycarbonate is also used in the automotive industry, where its low weight and high impact resistance make it the dominant material for automotive headlamp lenses. It is well-suited for processes like sputter deposition or evaporation deposition of aluminium without the need for a base coat. Additionally, polycarbonate can be laminated to create bullet-resistant "glass" for automotive windows.
In the medical field, polycarbonate is used in applications that require sterilisation and biocompatibility. It is also commonly used in electronic applications due to its electrical insulation properties, heat resistance, and flame retardancy.
Polycarbonate is a pliable material that can be easily machined, formed, and bent without cracking or breaking. It is available in sheets, rolls, or tubes, making it versatile for various projects. However, it is important to note that polycarbonate is sensitive to certain chemicals, solvents, and cleaning agents, and may not be suitable for food contact due to potential leaching of bisphenol A (BPA).
Overall, polycarbonate is a highly versatile and durable material, making it a top choice for engineers and manufacturers in various industries.
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It is also pliable and soft
Polycarbonate is a versatile and durable thermoplastic polymer known for its exceptional impact resistance and natural transparency. It is a tough, transparent plastic material with outstanding strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. However, it is also pliable and soft.
Polycarbonate's pliability is one of its attractive features. When using thinner gauges, it can be formed at room temperature without cracking or breaking, much like aluminium sheet metal. This makes polycarbonate sheet stock ideal for applications requiring non-conductive or good electrical insulation properties, or when transparency is needed. Its pliability means it can be bent or rolled for shipping.
Polycarbonate is also categorised as a soft plastic in terms of routing. This means that "O" flute tools are required for routing polycarbonate. The soft nature of the material means that skilled operators are needed for milling or cutting to achieve tight tolerances.
Polycarbonate's softness also means that when struck with force, it will dent rather than shatter, as would acrylic. This is due to its ability to undergo large plastic deformations without cracking or breaking. This feature is valuable in applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are needed, as they cannot be made from sheet metal.
Polycarbonate is used in a wide range of industries for applications such as indoor and outdoor signs, architectural glazing, skylights, protective face shields, machine guards, and transparent manifolds. It is also used in the automotive industry for headlamp lenses and decorative bezels, and in electronic applications for its safety features, electrical insulation, and heat and flame resistance.
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It has excellent impact resistance
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer, which means it is hard and stiff but can be moulded, thermoformed and worked at certain high temperatures. It is a versatile and durable plastic known for its exceptional impact resistance and natural transparency.
Polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable, with an impact resistance of up to 250 times greater than glass and 30 times greater than acrylic. When struck with force, it will dent rather than shatter. This makes it ideal for applications where safety and durability are critical, such as safety goggles, helmets, protective gear, and sports goggles. It is also used in the automotive industry for headlamp lenses and in the construction industry for domelights, glazing, and roofing sheets.
Polycarbonate's impact resistance also lends itself to use in signage and displays, where its durability and UV resistance are advantageous. It is commonly used in outdoor signs, display screens, and advertising materials.
The impact resistance of polycarbonate can be further enhanced by adding glass fibres, which improves its strength and stiffness while lowering its thermal expansion. This glass-reinforced polycarbonate is used in industrial applications where metals are commonly used. Recycled polycarbonate is another option, which provides outstanding impact resistance for glazing, signage, and protective applications.
Polycarbonate's impact resistance is so great that it is even used in ballistic-resistant applications. For example, 1.25-inch polycarbonate can withstand three shots of a .44 magnum and five shots of a .357 magnum, making it a highly ballistic-resistant material. By clamping two layers of equal thickness, the resistance can be effectively doubled.
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It is used in many industries
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer that is hard and stiff but can be moulded, thermoformed, and worked at certain high temperatures. It is used in many industries, including:
Electrical and Electronics (E&E)
The largest UK application of polycarbonate is in the optical media market, such as computer and audio compact discs. It is also used in the business machine and telecommunications market, as well as in transportation, appliances, packaging, and other miscellaneous uses. Its electrical insulation properties and transparency make it ideal for these applications.
Automotive
Polycarbonate is widely used in the automotive industry due to its low weight and high impact resistance. It is commonly used for decorative bezels, optical reflectors, and automotive headlamp lenses. It is also used in blends to improve the impact properties and fuel and weather resistance of automotive components.
Construction
Polycarbonate is the second-largest consumer of polycarbonates. It is used in construction for domelights, flat or curved glazing, roofing sheets, and sound walls. Its durability, lightweight, and strength make it ideal for these applications.
Medical
Many polycarbonate grades are used in medical applications and comply with stringent standards such as ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI. Its impact resistance and transparency make it suitable for safety equipment such as goggles, face shields, and helmets. Additionally, its biocompatibility makes it useful for nanomedicine applications.
Sporting Goods
Polycarbonate is used in the manufacturing of sporting goods, such as helmets, protective gear, and sports goggles, due to its impact resistance and lightweight nature.
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It is easy to machine and fabricate
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic polymer that is hard and stiff but can be moulded, thermoformed and worked at elevated temperatures. It is a popular material for fabrication because it is strong, durable, impact-resistant, and has excellent thermal stability.
Polycarbonate is easy to machine and fabricate because it is pliable and ductile at room temperature. This means it can be bent, sawed, drilled, milled, and cut to custom sizes without cracking or breaking. It is also a good electrical insulator, which makes it useful for applications that require non-conductive materials.
The machining process for polycarbonate is highly automated and computer-operated, which contributes to its ease of fabrication. The process begins with a design, which is then made into a CAD/CAM 3D model. CNC machines are often used to cut polycarbonate sheets with detailed accuracy, and they can create specific shapes or produce holes in the sheet. CNC machines are suitable for high-volume projects.
Polycarbonate can also be cut using a programmable band saw, which is useful for achieving uniform, straight cuts. For simpler cuts, such as shortening tubes, a manual cold saw may be used, and these are more suitable for smaller projects.
The soft nature of polycarbonate demands a skilled operator when milling or cutting on a CNC saw to achieve tight tolerances. It is important to keep polycarbonate cool during machining as it will soften at higher temperatures. Additionally, certain hydrocarbons should be avoided as they can cause stress cracks in the material.
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Frequently asked questions
Polycarbonate is a tough, transparent plastic material with outstanding strength, stiffness, and impact resistance. It is a thermoplastic polymer that is hard and stiff but can be moulded, thermoformed and worked at certain high temperatures.
Polycarbonate is a versatile and durable thermoplastic polymer known for its exceptional impact resistance and natural transparency. It is a good electrical insulator with heat-resistant and flame-retardant properties. It is also flexible, easy to machine, fabricate and thermoform.
Polycarbonate is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking when it comes in contact with certain chemicals and prolonged UV radiation. It also has limited resistance to high temperatures and is not inherently flame retardant. It is also more expensive than some other plastics.
