Sheffield Plastics Polycarbonate Flat Sheet offering light weight and break resistance

Polycarbonate materials have a balance of helpful features this includes temp resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates between commodity plastics and engineering materials.
Polycarbonate is a very long-lasting material. Whilst it features considerable impact-resistance, it has reduced scratch-resistance and thus a hard coating may be applied to polycarbonate eyewear as well as polycarbonate exterior auto equipment. The characteristics relating to polycarbonate tend to be similar to those of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic), although polycarbonate is definitely 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 it has better light transmission characteristics than most grades of glass.
Polycarbonate has a glass transition temperature of approximately 150 °C (302 °F), so it softens gradually above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools are required to be held at higher temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) for making strain- and reduced stress products.
Unlike most thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo large deformations without breaking or cracking. Hence, it can be processed and formed   without needing to be heated using sheet metal techniques, which include forming bends with a brake. Even for sharp angle bends having a tight radius, no heating is usually necessary. This makes it attractive prototyping applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are essential, which can not be produced from sheet metal. Please keep in mind PMMA/Plexiglas, which is similar in looks to polycarbonate, but it is brittle and cannot be bent with out a heating process.

The light weight of polycarbonate, as opposed to glass, has led to development of electronic view screens that replace glass with polycarbonate, for use in mobile and portable devices. Such displays include newer e-ink and a few LCD screens, though CRT, plasma screen and other LCD technologies generally still require glass for its higher melting temperature and its ability to be etched with finer detail.
Other types of items made out of 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 items are made of polycarbonate parts, e.g. fins, gyro mounts, and flybar locks for use with radio-controlled helicopters.
For use in applications subjected to weathering or UV-radiation, a special surface treatment could be needed. This can be a coating (e.g. for improved abrasion resistance), or as a coextrusion for enhanced weathering resistance.
Bayer Makrolon Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic that at the beginning, starts as a solid material in the form of small pellets. In a manufacturing process called injection molding, the pelletized resin is heated until they melt. This liquid polycarbonate is then rapidly injected into molds, compressed under high pressure and cooled to produce a finished product in a matter of minutes.

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