Polycarbonate, also called PC plastic, is the most heat-resistant engineering plastic with peaks of up to 150°C short-term operating temperatures. Further advantages for thermoformed parts lie in the high transparency and impact strength. PC plastic is an electrical insulator and can be processed somewhat better than PMMA with similar properties.
Processing PC plastic for thermoformed parts requires experience and knowledge, as the material can only achieve satisfactory thermoforming results within the optimal temperature range. The processing of PC plastic requires specific know-how, as the material only delivers optimal thermoforming results within a narrow temperature range. This makes precise, continuous temperature control of the aluminum tool through deep-hole drilling essential. As a result, only one-piece production tools are possible – modular base tools or cost-effective prototype tools made from 3D printing or Ureol cannot be used. Sampling must be done directly from the production tool under production conditions, which means higher initial costs but guarantees optimal quality.
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When storing PC plastic, it must be noted that polycarbonate is hygroscopic. This means PC plastic binds moisture from the environment during long-term storage, which deteriorates the quality and processing on the thermoforming machine. Therefore, PC plastic must be dried before processing or procured on customer call-off. The potential material delivery times must be considered as lead time when procuring PC plastic thermoformed parts.
| Group | Technical Thermoplastics |
| Structure | Amorphous |
| Density | 1.2 |
| Continuous Use Temperature Min. (in °C) | -100 |
| Continuous Use Temperature Max. (in °C) | 130 |
| Thermal Expansion Transverse/Longitudinal to Flow Direction (10^-6 *K) | 65 |
| Melting Temperature (°C) | 148 |
| Max. Temp. Short-Term (°C) | 140 |
| Max. Temp. Long-Term (°C) | 125 |
| Impact Strength (KJ/m^2) | 30 |
| Yield Stress (N/mm²) | 66 |
| Tensile Strength (N/mm²) | 61 |
| Tensile Modulus of Elasticity (N/mm²) | 2300 |
| Elongation at Break (%) | 80 |
| Flexural Strength (N/mm²) | 70 |
| Ball Indentation Hardness (N/mm²) | 110 |
| Dielectric Strength (kV/mm) | 34 |
| Volume Resistivity (Ω · m) | <1E13 |
| Surface Resistivity (Ω) | 1E15 |
| Tracking Resistance CTI | 250 |
PC stands for polycarbonate, a high-performance engineering plastic characterised by its very high temperature resistance, transparency and impact strength. PC plastic can withstand temperatures of up to 150 °C for short periods and is used wherever heat resistance and optical quality are required at the same time.
