Everything You Need To Know About Polycarbonate (PC)

What is PC, and What is it Used For?

Polycarbonate (PC) plastics are a naturally transparent amorphous thermoplastic. Although they are made commercially available in a variety of colors (perhaps translucent and perhaps not), the raw material allows for the internal transmission of light nearly in the same capacity as glass. Polycarbonate polymers are used to produce a variety of materials and are particularly useful when impact resistance and/or transparency are a product requirement (e.g. in bullet-proof glass). PC is commonly used for plastic lenses in eyewear, in medical devices, automotive components, protective gear, greenhouses, Digital Disks (CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray), and exterior lighting fixtures. Polycarbonate also has very good heat resistance and can be combined with flame retardant materials without significant material degradation. Polycarbonate plastics are engineering plastics in that they are typically used for more capable, robust materials such as in impact resistant “glass-like” surfaces.

The following diagram shows the relative impact strength of Polycarbonate when compared to the impact strength of other commonly used plastics such as ABS, Polystyrene (PS), or Nylon.

What are the Characteristics of Polycarbonate?

Now that we know what it is used for, let’s examine some of the key properties of Polycarbonate. PC is classified as a “thermoplastic” (as opposed to “thermoset”), and the name has to do with the way the plastic responds to heat. Thermoplastic materials become liquid at their melting point (155 degrees Celsius in the case of Polycarbonat). A major useful attribute about thermoplastics is that they can be heated to their melting point, cooled, and reheated again without significant degradation. Instead of burning, thermoplastics like Polycarbonate liquefy

hy is Polycarbonate used so often?

Polycarbonate is an incredibly useful plastic for applications requiring transparency and high impact resistance. It is a lighter alternative to glass and a natural UV filter, so it is often used in eyewear. At JYH, we have used Polycarbonate in a number of applications across a range of industries. A few examples include the following:

• clear windows on prototype models

• color tinted translucent prototypes

• clear tubes for sports equipment prototypes

• diffusers and light pipes for LEDs

• clear molds for urethane and silicone casting

• 3D printed models for high heat applications when ABS is not an option

• machinery guards