Polycarbonate plastic materials have a balance of beneficial features which include temperature resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates between commodity plastics and engineering materials.
Polycarbonate is definitely a high quality material. Even though it has very high impact-resistance, it possesses low scratch-resistance and so a hard coating can be applied to polycarbonate eye protection lenses and polycarbonate exterior motor vehicle equipment. The properties relating to polycarbonate tend to be comparable to those of Acrylic PMMA materials, but polycarbonate is definitely stronger, it is usable in a wider temperature range and is a bit more expensive. This plastic polymer is highly transparent to visible light and has better light transmission characteristics than many kinds of glass.
Polycarbonate has a glass transition temperature of around 150 °C (302 °F), consequently it softens slowly above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools are required to be held at higher temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) in order to make strain- and reduced stress products.
Unlike many thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo dramatic shape changes without cracking. As a result, it is sometimes processed and formed without needing to be heated using sheet metal techniques, for instance forming bends on a brake. For even sharp angle bends having a tight radius, no heating is generally necessary. This makes it attractive prototyping applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are needed, which cannot be crafted from sheet metal. Remember that PMMA/Plexiglas, which happens to be similar in looks to polycarbonate, but is brittle and can't be bent with out a heating process.
The light weight of polycarbonate, compared to glass, has led to development of electronic touch screens that replace the traditional glass with polycarbonate, for use in mobile and portable devices. Such displays include newer e-ink and a few LCD screens, though CRT, plasma screen and other LCD technologies which still require glass for its higher melting temperature and the ability to be etched in finer detail.
Other types of items created from Polycarbonate include durable, lightweight luggage, MP3/digital audio player cases, computer cases, riot shields, instrument panels, and blender jars. Many toys and hobby goods are manufactured from polycarbonate parts, e.g. fins, gyro mounts, and flybar locks for use with radio-controlled helicopters.
For use in applications exposed to weathering or UV-radiation, a special surface treatment maybe needed. This may be a coating (e.g. for improved abrasion resistance), or as a coextrusion for enhanced weathering resistance.
Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic that at the beginning, starts as a solid material in the form of small pellets. In a manufacturing process called injection molding, the pelletized resin is heated until they melt. This liquid polycarbonate is then rapidly pushed into molds, compressed under high pressure and cooled to create a finished product in a matter of minutes.
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