Polycarbonate and Acrylic: Clear Plastics with Clear Differences
Tuffak® Polycarbonate and Optix® Acrylic (PMMA) are two very similar looking plastics. Both are often bought as transparent sheets with similar smooth glossy surfaces, and are often used as tougher and more impact resistant alternatives for glass in industrial and consumer applications. These two materials can be found in windows, viewing panels, protective barriers, eye-wear, display cabinets, and similar applications. However, polycarbonate and acrylic actually have very different physical properties and resulting applications.
Polycarbonate: Industrial Grade Impact Resistance
Tuffak® Polycarbonate (manufactured by Plaskolite) is an amorphous thermoplastic material, meaning it has a low degree of crystallinity and a more random polymer chemical structure. This gives the plastic an interesting combination of physical and optical properties, such as transparency comparable to silicate glass and an exceptionally high impact and chemical resistance.
Its exceptional impact resistance has made this particular material popular for manufacturing in sheet form, a lot like sheet metal. It can be rolled, pressed, heated, and formed without cracking or breaking. Polycarbonate can be fabricated quickly and relatively inexpensively into shapes not possible with glass thanks to its chemical structure.
Polycarbonate is commonly used in protective applications, such as barriers and bullet-proof windows, ceiling panels, displays, and enclosures. Despite its impact resistance, polycarbonate tends to scratch easily, so it is not well-suited to displays and applications that require high aesthetics.
OPTIX® Acrylic (PMMA): Durability on Display
Acrylic, short for poly-methyl-methacrylate, (PMMA) can come in many forms, including a sheet material typically referred to as acrylic glass. Like polycarbonate, acrylic is an amorphous thermoplastic, though it features much better transparency. Tough and strong, yet acrylic impact resistance is not as high as that of polycarbonate.
Optix® Acrylic (manufactured by Plaskolite) offers a higher tensile strength and UV resistance than polycarbonate, as well as much better optical characteristics. Acrylic is also easy to clean and maintain, and is generally pretty easy to fabricate, so long as it’s masked for protection during handling. This, combined with being less expensive has made acrylic common in display and consumer applications.
There are many different applications for acrylic thanks to these properties, ranging from LEDs to displays to even consumer windows. Optix® Acrylic sheet can be found in shop displays and enclosures, ceiling skylights, media discs, and fiber optics, as the material is a lightweight and tougher alternative to glass.
Looking for a trusted supplier of Tuffak® Polycarbonate, OPTIX® PMMA, and other Performance Plastic materials?
Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc. is one of the largest and most experienced plastic suppliers in the world, with a vast inventory of premium Plaskolite Acrylic and Polycarbonate sheets. Our experienced and certified customer service team are available to assist you. Head over to our website to explore all of the materials that we carry and contact us today with any questions you may have, click here.
Polycarbonate sheet material is used frequently for shields, guards, and containment barriers.
It can be cold or heat bent to most configurations. A popular material manufactured by several companies: Lexan® by SABIC, Tuffak® by Plaskolite (formerly Makrolon® by Covestro), Zelux® by Westlake, Unicar® by Nytef Div of Polymer, Ensicar® by Ensinger, Cyrolon®, Polygal®, Plazit®, Tuffak® GP, Paltuf®, Texin®.
Today, there are numerous versions of these Polycarbonate resins, produced by a dozen different resin manufacturers; however Lexan® and Makrolon® still lead the field.
In addition to the large number of resin manufacturers, there are also dozens of extruders that can produce the Polycarbonate in Sheet or rod.
The leaders are Tuffak Plaskolite (formerly Covestro), SABIC Lexan and Plazit Polygal. All three have extrusion equipment in the USA and produce high clarity and high quality Polycarbonate sheet.
Some of the leaders in the Thick Plate and Rod extrusion are Ensinger, Westlake, Rochling, Polymer and Gehr Plastics.
Polycarbonate sheet is a common material for a variety of glazing applications, impact resistant shields and formed parts. Polycarbonate Sheet and Rod are generally produced from plastic resin produced by two main plastic resin manufacturers:
The general purpose Polycarbonate resins are about the same as they were when they were first invented. The research on this resin started in 1898, but was first perfected by Bayer in Germany and was patented and registered in 1955. Amazingly, one week after the first invention by Bayer, Daniel Fox at General Electric in New York, independently synthesized a branched Polycarbonate resin.
Both companies filed for US Patents in 1955, and agreed that the company lacking priority would be granted a license to the technology. The patent was resolved in Bayer’s favor and Bayer began commercial production under the trade name Makrolon® in 1958.
GE Plastics began production under the Lexan® trade in 1960.
Polycarbonate is ITAR compliant, and Polycarbonate is RoHS compliant.
Tuffak® (formerly Makrolon® GP) – General Purpose Polycarbonate Sheet
~ UV Stable and Excellent for high impact and glazing applications
Tuffak® (formerly Makrolon® GP-V) – UL rated General Purpose Polycarbonate Sheet
~ UV Stabilized and UL 94 V-2 at .060” thickness, UL 94 V-0 at .220” thickness
These properties are for evaluation purposes only. This information is not to be construed as a warranty, guarantee or assurance that you may achieve the same results. Materials made from different resin types, manufacturing techniques and manufacturers will react differently. The information should be used to compare against other materials only, and each user should make his own tests to determine suitability. No warranty as to this materials suitability are either expressed nor implied.
People in the plastics industry have known for over 50 years that Polycarbonate Sheets are tough. This clear plastic sheet material is commonly used to replace window glazing. The best known property for this polycarbonate sheet material is that it is break resistant, or in many cases, considered unbreakable. This is a great benefit for areas where window glass is broken easily.
Recently some cities have passed ordinances to change out the plywood window coverings on abandoned homes, and they are installing clear polycarbonate sheets instead. This is a very attractive replacement, and is a big step in fighting the blight of abandoned homes.
Polycarbonate is produced under several trade names, including Plaskolite Tuffak® GP, Covestro Makrolon®, SABIC Lexan®, Cyrolon®, Zelux® and many more. These materials are available in sheets, plate, slab, bar and rod.
Read more on this material below.
Excerpt from AZCentral, The Arizona Republic:
Property owners and banks in Phoenix had begun outfitting windows with sheets of polycarbonate, a thin, nearly indestructible plastic that mirrors the appearance of glass.
And last month, the city became among the first in the U.S. to make polycarbonate windows a matter of municipal law.
Phoenix now requires all window and door openings visible from the street to be secured with the material if the structure has been unoccupied for more than 90 days. The 90-day provision is also new, replacing the previous deadline of 180 days. The measures were the result of an abandoned buildings task force that Gallego spearheaded.
No one likes living next to abandoned buildings with boarded up doors or windows. So the city of Durham started replacing the plywood eyesores with a clear, durable plastic.
The city is working to reduce the number of abandoned houses by helping owners fix them up. But for houses that still need boarding up, the city has found that plastic not only improves the overall appearance of a neighborhood, it may reduce crime by discouraging squatters and making it easier for police to see inside vacant buildings.
“I can’t stress enough how the elimination of the boards has a tremendous positive impact on neighborhoods and communities,” said Faith Gardner, housing code administrator of the city’s department of neighborhood improvement services.
Read more here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article20778429.html#storylink=cpy
These communities have fought back against vandalism and crime, as well as enhanced the value of local homes by changing from Plywood to Clear Polycarbonate Sheets. Tuffak GP is a super tough glazing grade clear Polycarbonate Sheet material is the same kind of material that Police Officers use for face shields and banks are using for bullet resistant glazing.
The premier manufacturer of Polycarbonate Sheet in the USA is Tuffak® PG made by Plaskolite and made from Covestro® (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) resins, and they produce Tuffak® GP Polycarbonate Sheet. Polycarbonate is also available in rod and thick plate for machined parts.
Consider using Polycarbonate sheet for your next glazing material.
