Polycarbonate

The exceedingly high impact resistance of this thermoplastic combined with ease of fabrication, fire resistance, and light stability has injected its use into a wide range of applications. The most notable of these for industrial applications is the use of the sheet material as a glazing product. Where a high impact, durable, transparent shield is required, the polycarbonate material is used extensively. In addition, many smaller mechanical parts for machinery, particularly those with very intricate molding requirements, impellers in pumps, safety helmets, and other applications requiring light weight and high impact resistance have been satisfied by the use of polycarbonate plastics.

The material is usable to a temperature of 120 °C (248 F). Chemically the plastic is greatly restricted in its resistance by a severe propensity to stress crack. This property can be modified greatly by proper compounding but remains the most serious problem when considering the polycarbonate for chemical exposures.