Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate materials offer a great blend of useful features this includes temp resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates in between commodity plastics and engineering materials.
Polycarbonate is a very rugged material. Whilst it has higher impact-resistance, it has got lower scratch-resistance and so a hard coating can be applied to polycarbonate eye wear and polycarbonate exterior vehicle components. The properties associated with polycarbonate are comparable to those of Acrylic PMMA materials, yet , polycarbonate definitely is 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 it has better light transmission characteristics than many different types of glass.
Polycarbonate has a glass transition temperature of around 150 °C (302 °F), in order that it softens gradually above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools will have to be held at higher temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) to make strain- and stress-free products.
Unlike almost all other thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo massive shape changes without cracking. Due to this fact, it could be processed and formed without needing to be heated using sheet metal techniques, which include forming bends with a brake. Even for 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 required, which may not be produced from sheet metal. Understand that PMMA/Plexiglas, which is similar in appearance to polycarbonate, but it’s brittle and cannot be bent with out a heating process.
Polycarbonate is commonly utilized in eye protection, along with other projectile-resistant see through or lighting applications that would normally indicate the use of glass, but require greater impact-resistance. Several types of lenses are created from polycarbonate, including automotive headlamp lenses, lighting lenses, sunglass/eyeglass lenses, swimming and SCUBA goggles, and safety goggles for use in sporting helmets/masks and police riot gear. Windscreens in small motorized vehicles are commonly constructed from polycarbonate, such as for motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, and small planes and helicopters.