Polycarbonate plastic products have a great blend of useful features which include temperature resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates between commodity plastics and engineering plastics.
Polycarbonate is a very durable material. Though it has considerable impact-resistance, it has a lower scratch-resistance and so a hard coating typically is applied to polycarbonate eyewear lenses and polycarbonate exterior automotive components. The properties associated with polycarbonate are like those of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic), yet , polycarbonate is undoubtedly stronger, it is usable in a wider temperature range and is a bit more expensive. This plastic polymer is highly transparent to visible light and has better light transmission characteristics than many kinds of glass.
Polycarbonate carries a glass transition temperature of approximately 150 °C (302 °F), so it softens slowly above this point and flows above about 300°C (572 °F). Tools will have to be held at warm to high temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) in order to make strain- and reduced stress products.
Unlike almost all other thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo massive changes in basic shape without cracking or breaking. Due to this fact, it may be processed and formed without needing to be heated using sheet metal techniques, for example forming bends on a brake. Even for sharp angle bends having a tight radius, no heating is usually necessary. This makes it attractive prototyping applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are required, which should not be made from sheet metal. Be aware that PMMA/Plexiglas, which happens to be similar in looks to polycarbonate, but it's brittle and can't be bent unless it is heated.
Polycarbonate is commonly used in eye protection, in addition to other projectile-resistant viewing and lighting applications that would normally require the use of glass, but require much higher impact-resistance. Many different types of lenses are manufactured from polycarbonate, including automotive headlamp lenses, lighting lenses, sunglass/eyeglass lenses, swimming and SCUBA goggles, and safety visors for use in sporting helmets/masks and police riot gear. Windscreens in small motorized vehicles are commonly manufactured from polycarbonate, such as for motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, and small planes and helicopters.
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