Makrolon Polycarbonate materials give you a great blend of beneficial features which include temp resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates in between commodity plastic materials and engineering plastic materials.
Polycarbonate is a very sturdy material. Even though it has outstanding impact-resistance, it has got low scratch-resistance and thus a hard coating is often applied to polycarbonate eyewear lenses and polycarbonate exterior vehicle equipment. The properties of polycarbonate are comparable to those of common Acrylic materials, except polycarbonate is going to be 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 several types of glass.
Polycarbonate carries a glass transition temperature of about 150 °C (302 °F), so it softens slowly above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools are required to be held at warm to high temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) in order to make strain- and almost stress free products.
Unlike most thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo large shape changes without breaking. Hence, it may be processed and formed without needing to be heated using standard sheet metal techniques, which include forming bends with a brake. For even 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 can not be made from sheet metal. Please keep in mind PMMA/Plexiglas, that is similar in looks to polycarbonate, but it’s brittle and cannot be bent without heating.
Polycarbonate is often used in eye protection, in addition to other projectile-resistant optical type applications that would normally require the use of glass, but require higher impact-resistance. Several types of lenses are produced from polycarbonate, including automotive headlamp lenses, lighting lenses, sunglass/eyeglass lenses, swimming and SCUBA goggles, and safety visors for use in sporting helmets/masks and police riot gear. Windscreens in small motorized vehicles are commonly made out of polycarbonate, such as for motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, and small planes and helicopters.