Polycarbonate plastic materials give you a balance of beneficial features this includes temperature resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates in between commodity plastics and engineering materials.
Polycarbonate is a very tough material. Whilst it features considerable impact-resistance, it possesses a lower scratch-resistance and thus a hard coating typically is applied to polycarbonate eyeglasses lenses as well as polycarbonate exterior motor vehicle equipment. The characteristics of polycarbonate are generally similar those of Acrylic PMMA materials, but polycarbonate 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 has better light transmission characteristics than most grades of glass.
Polycarbonate carries a glass transition temperature near 150 °C (302 °F), so it softens gradually above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools ought to be held at high temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) for making strain- and almost stress free products.
Unlike many thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo massive changes in basic shape without breaking. Due to this fact, it is sometimes processed and formed at room temperature using sheet metal techniques, such as forming bends with a brake. Even for sharp angle bends having a tight radius, no heating is generally necessary. This makes it valuable in prototyping applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are crucial, which cannot be made from sheet metal. Be aware that PMMA/Plexiglas, which happens to be similar in looks to polycarbonate, but is brittle and can't be bent unless it is heated.
The light weight of polycarbonate, in contrast to glass, has led to advancement of electronic display screens that replace glass with polycarbonate, for use in mobile and portable devices. Such displays include newer e-ink as well as 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 with finer detail.
Other types of items made from Polycarbonate include durable, lightweight luggage, MP3/digital audio player cases, computer cases, riot shields, instrument panels, and common style blender jars. Many toys and hobby goods are made of 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 a coextrusion for enhanced weathering resistance.
Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic that starts as a solid material in the form of small pellets. In a manufacturing process called injection molding, these small pellets are heated until they melt in to a thick liquid. The liquid polycarbonate is then rapidly pushed into the mold - shaped like the part, compressed under high pressure and cooled to produce a finished product in a matter of minutes.