Polycarbonate resin is a thermoplastic component made from hydrocarbons through condensation polymerization. It is used to produce high-density and impact-resistant products such as eyewear, auto parts, and bulletproof glass. The most common type of PC plastic is produced using BPA monomers, which are known to be an endocrine disruptor associated with health issues. Few countries have banned or changed the use of BPA in the plastics industry.
Polycarbonate resin (PC resin) is a type of thermoplastic component used in the production of some plastics. While the specific attributes of each resin differ based on its exact composition and method of extraction, each is catalysed from monomers called hydrocarbons, in a process known as condensation polymerization. The monomers used to make polycarbonate resin differ from other types in that they contain amino, alcohol or carboxyl functional groups. The chain reaction results in a covalent bond of a carbon atom bonded to three oxygen atoms, with small water molecules displaced to produce a final polymer of high density and impact resistance. These properties make polycarbonate resin suitable for manufacturing a wide variety of products that require exceptional resistance to stress and heat, such as compact discs, hockey masks, eyewear, auto parts, bulletproof glass, medical equipment, and aerospace and even shuttle parts for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Program.
Many products such as those mentioned above are made by subjecting a polycarbonate resin to an injection molding process where the cured material hardens within a mold or dies and permanently assumes its parent shape. In some cases, the final product may require treatment with a coating to provide additional insurance against damage from chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation or certain chemicals. For example, PC plastic cannot withstand contact with solvents such as benzene, acetone, or sodium hypochlorite, otherwise known as household bleach. Protective coatings also increase the surface resistance of polycarbonate resin products as they tend to scratch easily.
The most common type of PC plastic is produced by inducing polymerization of the resin through a chemical reaction between phosgene isocyanates and bisphenol A (BPA) monomers. In fact, numerous common household products are made from BPA-based plastics ranging from electronic and computer components to baby bottles and food storage containers. Because BPA is now known to be an endocrine disruptor associated with infertility, birth defects, neurological disorders, and hormone-dependent cancers, its impact on human health over more than half a century is of great concern, as is its continued use. Yet despite numerous studies and international reports on the subject, very few countries have considered banning or changing the use of BPA in the plastics industry. However, Denmark moved to ban the use of BPA in baby bottles in 2009, and several US states have independently banned its inclusion in all reusable food and beverage containers, as well as those that store infant formula. and foods.
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