Why Has Polycarbonate Gained Such Popularity?

Polycarbonates are a group of strong thermoplastics that contain carbonate groups in their chemical structures. With the chemical structure being (−O−(C=O)−O−), we can see how they have received their name because of the carbonate groups bonded together.

Polycarbonates are transparent, strong, durable, and flexible materials that are resistant to impact, weather, temperature, fire, chemicals, and corrosion. All these properties have made polycarbonates one of the most preferred materials to be used in the construction industry today, especially as an alternative to glass. Also, because they are easy to work with – easy to cut, easy to drill, easy to install, easy to handle, easy to mould, and easy to thermoformed – they have found their space in a variety of other applications too.

Polycarbonate roofing sheets have an impact resistance that is 200 times that of glass, but the weight being only half of glass! This means that it is extremely light in weight, yet virtually unbreakable. In addition, they are also flexible, which means they can be moulded into any shape like circular roofs and domes, unlike glass. Furthermore, they are available in a variety of colours and textures to match or contrast the rest of the structure they are being used with. Also, the colours and textures can reduce the amount of transparency, if the structure requires semi-transparent roofs. All of these properties have given architects and interior designers a creative edge to construct transparent and semi-transparent structures in a way that they couldn’t have done with glass.

Polycarbonates, while don’t react to extreme temperatures, are also very good insulators. They help to maintain the temperature within the structure, no matter how cold or hot the environment outside is. The material’s melting point is 311 °F, where it can be heated up to, to melt it, after which it can be cooled and heated again to be moulded, without degrading in quality. This makes it a great recyclable material too.

One can easily apply all kinds of machining on polycarbonates, without worrying about it being cracked or broken. Whether you tap, drill, grind, or weld polycarbonates, they won't crack or break; neither will they produce any kinds of harmful shards that can be dangerous to touch or toxic to inhale.

All of the above mentioned properties have helped polycarbonate find a place in a variety of applications; some of the popular ones being buildings, automotive components, optical devices, medical equipment, lighting fixtures, smartphone components, telecommunications hardware, CDs & DVDs, and bulletproof glasses. So, whatever your application, you can without any doubt use polycarbonates when you need a transparent or semi-transparent material. And, you can get the best quality polycarbonate roofing sheets at Tuflite Polymers, where you have a wide range of polycarbonates to choose from, ranging in types, colours, and textures.

In spite of all the above properties, there is a certain drawback of using polycarbonate. The material cannot be used in applications where they can come in contact with food or beverages. This is because when it comes in contact with water and degrades, it will release Bisphenol A, which can have health risks when food is consumed from the material.