What is Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate derived from BPA is a very durable material. Although it has high impact-resistance, The characteristics of polycarbonate are quite like those of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic), but polycarbonate is stronger, usable in a wider temperature range but more expensive. This 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 about 150 °C. In the automotive industry, injection moulded polycarbonate can produce very smooth surfaces that make it well suited for direct (without the need for a basecoat) metalised parts such as decorative bezels and optical reflectors. Its uniform mould shrinkage results in parts with greater accuracy than those made of polypropylene. However, due to its susceptibility to environmental stress cracking, its use is limited to low stress applications. It can be laminated to make bullet-proof “glass”, although “bullet-resistant” is more accurate for the thinner windows, such as are used in bullet-resistant windows in automobiles. The thicker barriers of transparent plastic used in teller’s windows and barriers in banks, are also polycarbonate. So called “theft-proof” large plastic packaging for smaller items, which cannot be opened by hand, is uniformly made from polycarbonate. The cockpit canopy of the F-22 Raptor jet fighter is made from a piece of high optical quality polycarbonate and is the largest piece of its type formed in the world.