Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate (PC) – Optically Clear, Impact-Resistant Engineering Thermoplastic
Polycarbonate is an amorphous engineering thermoplastic combining exceptional impact strength (approximately 250 times that of glass) with optical clarity comparable to glass, in a lightweight 1.20 g/cm³ package. These properties make it the dominant material for transparent safety shields, bulletproof glazing, optical lenses, and medical device housings where glass would shatter under impact.
Key Properties
- Tensile Strength: 60 MPa
- Impact Resistance: ~250× that of glass
- Optical Clarity: ~88% visible light transmission
- Continuous Service Temperature: 120°C
- Density: 1.20 g/cm³
- Standard: ASTM D3935
Common Applications
Safety shields and machine guards, optical lenses (eyewear, camera), riot shields, medical device housings, transparent enclosures, automotive headlamp lenses, and architectural glazing panels.
Material properties
| Material name | Polycarbonate (PC) |
|---|---|
| Type | Plastics |
| Standard code | ASTM D3935 |
| Tensile strength (MPa) | 60 |
| Yield strength (MPa) | 55 |
| Fatigue strength (MPa) | — |
| Elongation (%) | 100 |
| Hardness (Brinell) | — |
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.2 |
| Electrical resistivity (µΩ·in) | — |
| Thermal conductivity (W/m·K) | 0.2 |
| Melting range (°C) | 267 |
| Weldability | N/A |
| Formability | Good |
| Shear modulus | 2.4 |
| Industry code | polycarbonate |