5 Reasons to Love Polycarbonate

January 21st, 2015

When it comes to tough plastics, polycarbonate is the poster child that best exemplifies the term. There are few materials known to man with the properties of this near bullet-proof plastic. Indeed, polycarbonate is used as one of the protective layers in bullet proof glass, a military-style endorsement if one was needed. The substance is lightweight and found in every industry. It’s almost impossible to root through belongings and furnishings without finding a product made from polycarbonate. Here’s a clue to finding a possession manufactured from the strengthened material: look for any item that’s delicate but built to last. A CD or DVD is a prime example of this design, a belonging that’s incredibly delicate, yet nearly indestructible due to a polycarbonate coating. Here are 5 reasons to fall in love with the material.

1. High Strength Application – Developed in the 1950’s, polycarbonate has incredible properties, but scientists quickly realized the toughness of the polymer and pushed products made from the substance into service as bullet resistant glass. The 1980’s saw the introduction of the CD, a format that immediately benefited from a tough polycarbonate coating.

2. Transparency – Light penetrates polycarbonate easily, a fact that supports the application of the material for the above mentioned examples of glass and CDs. Additionally, the delicate glass used in eyewear benefits from the application of a layer of the polymer, although we should mention that polycarbonate is susceptible to the occasional scratch. That’s an issue that’s more than offset by the materials ability to deform without causing distortion.

3. Superior Electrical Insulator – This is a feature that’s penetrated deep into the electronics industry, a domain that sees more than its fair share of heat and electrical discharge. Polycarbonate insulators isolate conductors passively and act as dynamic dielectrics within capacitors.

4. Energy Conservation – Raising heat preservation from the domain of micro-circuitry to macro applications, polycarbonate is lightweight, cheaper than glass, and better at keeping in heat than comparable materials. Additionally, as a plastic, polycarbonate panels are easier to mould and curve than glass

5. Polycarbonate Sheeting in Industry – Combine all of the above properties to gain a material that’s ideal for light industry and the home. Polycarbonate sheets are currently used as shatter-proof replacements for standard glass panels used in sun rooms and solariums, greenhouses and skylights.

This list could go on to include the longevity of the material and the ability of polycarbonate lenses to curve light due to a higher index of refraction, but we think it’s enough to say that the advantages of the polymer are substantial. Transparency and durability spell out a number of applications that target the eyewear sector and armoured glass products for military usage and general security.

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