Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Polycarbonate (PC) : Properties
Polycarbonate (PC) : Properties
DS – Plastics for Injection Moulding
Polycarbonate (PC)
Tampere University of Technology‐Sanna Nykänen
Polycarbonate was developed almost at same time on 1950’s in Bayer and in Gen‐ General
eral Electric. Polycarbonate is a transparent thermoplastic. Polycarbonate is
classified as an amorphous technical plastic although it is a slightly crystalline
material.
Figure 1: Repeating unit of polycarbonate.
There are three significant manufacturing methods which of two are based on using Manufacturing
phosgene. Polycarbonate can be manufactured by transesterification of bisphenol A
with diphenyl carbonate at elevated temperatures or by dissolving bisphenol A in
pyridine and reacting with phosgene.
Properties
Positive properties of polycarbonate: Positive
properties
− Low density
− High strength, stiffness, hardness and toughness
− Crystal clear, transparent, high surface gloss
− Can be sterilised
− Small mould shrinkage
− Small creep
− Very high impact strength
− Good electrical insulation properties which are not weakened by moisture
− High resistance to high energy radiation
Negative properties of polycarbonate: Negative
properties
− Processing requires care
− Limited chemical resistance
− Notch sensitivity and susceptibility to stress cracking
− High price
− Limited fatigue durability
− Injection moulding difficult
Polycarbonate ‐ 1
CAE DS – Plastics for Injection Moulding
Polycarbonate is known as material that has good impact toughness. It has the best Mechanical
un‐notched impact strength of all plastics. In spite of this polycarbonate fractures properties
brittle in many practical applications.
Mechanical properties PC
Yield stress (N/mm2) > 55
Elongation at yield (%) 6
Ultimate tensile strength > 65
(N/mm2)
Impact strength (kJ/m2) No break
Tensile modulus of elasticity 2300
(MPa)
Polycarbonate has a good resistance of water, salt‐solutions, weak acids, oils and Chemical
alcohols (except methanol). Polycarbonate dissolves in organic solvents and it has a resistance
weak resistance of amines, ammonia and lye.
Polycarbonate is not harmful as physiological sense and it can be used in food Other properties
product‐ applications
Property PC
Density (g/cm3) 1.2
Melting point ( °C) 166
Water absorption in water (%) 0.35
Thermal conductivity (W/Km) 0.2
Weak properties of polycarbonate (chemical resistance, UV‐resistance and proc‐
essability) can be improved by blending it with other thermoplastics like ASA or
ABS.
Polycarbonate penetrates 89 % of visible light and is suitable for replacing glass or
other transparent plastics. However UV‐light causes yellowing and weakening of
mechanical properties. Therefore it is necessary to use UV‐stabilizers.
Polycarbonate ‐ 2
CAE DS – Plastics for Injection Moulding
Processing
Although polycarbonate has a regular structure, products manufactured by normal
melt processing equipment, are amorphous.
Polycarbonate has to be dried well before processing. Polycarbonate can be proc‐
essed with every normal processing method of thermoplastics. Polycarbonate parts
can be glued and welded.
Injection
Polycarbonates that have a molecular mass (Mn) lower than 20 000 g/mol are not
moulding
suitable for production of plastic parts. Polycarbonates that have a molecular mass
between 20 000 and 30 000 g/mol are used in injection moulding.
Draft angle should be 1‐2°. Good gas removing is very important on polycarbon‐
ates. Also deep gas removing‐channels can be used because of polycarbonates’
relatively high viscosity.
It is very important to have a uniform mould temperature for to achieve tight
tolerances. The surface temperature of the mould should be from 80 to 100 °C. The
mass temperature should be from 280 to 320 °C.
Applications
Applications
− Electrotechnical and electronics: coil formers, relay covers, computer com‐
ponents, optically perfect grades of PC are used in compact disks
− Mechanical engineering: components for pneumatic controls and pumps,
push buttons, housings
− Office equipment and writing materials: computer components, ballpoint
pens covers
− Transportation: traffic signs, snowmobile covers
Trade names Trade names
− Calibre (Dow Chemical Corp., USA)
− Lexan (General Electric Plastics, USA)
− Makrolon (Bayer, DE)
− Xantar (DSM, NL)
References:
Järvelä et al., Ruiskuvalu, Plastdata, Tampere,2000.
Dominghaus, Plastics for engineers, Hanser 1993.
Seppälä, Polymeeriteknologian perusteet, Valopaino Oy, 2003.
Polycarbonate ‐ 3