Polycarbonate is a strong and lightweight plastic used for various applications, including bulletproof windows, CDs, and eyewear. It is more durable than glass and acrylic, but more expensive. It is also used in electronics and automotive industries, and is recyclable.
Polycarbonate is a versatile and durable plastic used for a variety of applications, from bulletproof windows to compact discs (CDs). The main advantage of this material over other types of plastic is its great strength combined with lightness. While acrylic is 17% stronger than glass, polycarbonate is nearly unbreakable. The windows and bulletproof casings seen inside banks or drive-throughs are often made from this plastic. Add to that the benefit that it’s only 1/3 the weight of acrylic, or 1/6 as heavy as glass, and the only drawback is that it’s more expensive than both.
Compact disks and digital versatile disks (DVDs) are perhaps the most easily recognizable examples of polycarbonate. Anyone who has stored files on a writable CD and then tried to break it before throwing it away knows how tough this material can be.
Clear polycarbonate is used to make eyewear due to its excellent clarity, durability, and high refractive index. This means that it bends light much more than glass or other plastics of equal thickness. Because prescription lenses bend light to correct vision, polycarbonate lenses can be thinner than glass or conventional plastic, making them the ideal material for heavy prescriptions. These thin lenses correct vision problems without distorting the face or eye size, yet this extremely thin lens is virtually indestructible, an important safety factor for active children and adults.
Polycarbonate lenses are also used in quality sunglasses which incorporate filters to block ultraviolet (UV) and near UV rays. The lenses can also be polarized to block glare and their high impact resistance makes them perfect for sports. Many manufacturers of sunglasses choose this material because it can be easily shaped without problems such as cracking or breakage, resulting in extremely light, distortion-free and fashionable eyewear that has all the health benefits recommended by doctors.
The electronics industry also uses polycarbonate. It has been used to make transparent colored computer cases, for example, and many cell phones, pagers, and laptops also use it in their casings.
Other uses for polycarbonate include greenhouse covers, automotive headlights, exterior fixtures, and medical industry applications, although the list is virtually endless. Slightly less toxic than polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to produce, this plastic nonetheless requires toxic chemicals in its manufacturing stage. It is, however, recyclable and environmentally preferable to PVC in applications where both materials can be used.
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