Polycarbonate (PC) plastics are generally transparent amorphous thermoplastic. However, they are manufactured or made commercially available in a diversity of colors (maybe translucent and maybe not). The raw material enables the internal passage of light almost in the same capacity or range as glass.
Polycarbonate polymers are frequently used to manufacture various substances and are especially beneficial when impact resistance and transparency are a product specification (for example, in bullet-proof glass). PC is more frequently utilized for plastic lenses in eyewear, medical equipment or devices, automotive components, protective equipment, greenhouses, Digital Disks, and surface lighting fixtures.
Polycarbonate also has a very high-grade heat resistance and can be compounded with flame retardant substances without notable material degradation. Polycarbonate (PC) plastics are engineering plastics in that they are generally used for more competent, vital, robust matters, such as in impact-resistant "glass-like" surfaces.
Another characteristic of polycarbonate is that it is very pliable, and it can usually be made or formed at room temperature without damaging or breaking. That is much similar to aluminum sheet metal. However, deformation or distortion may be more manageable with the usage/application of heat; even small-angle crooks and bends are possible without it. This feature makes polycarbonate sheets accumulate specifically beneficial in prototyping applications where sheet metal lacks viability. For instance, transparency is needed, or a non-conductive substance with good electrical non conductor properties is demanded).
Features and Characteristics of Polycarbonate
As we all know now all the usage and applications of polycarbonates, let's discuss some of its features or key properties that polycarbonate offers.
PC is categorized as a "thermoplastic" (in contrast to "thermoset"), and the name has to do with the approach or manner the plastic responds to heat. Thermoplastic substance becomes liquid at their melting point (Polycarbonat's melting point is 155 degrees Celsius). A significant beneficial attribute concerning thermoplastics is that they can be heated to their melting point, then cooled, and then reheated again without vital, notable degradation. Instead of burning, thermoplastics such as Polycarbonate flux enable them to be, and quickly injection molded and then recycled.
On the contrary, thermoset plastics can only be ignited once (usually during the injection molding method). The primary heating causes the thermoset substance to set, occurring in a chemical change that cannot be altered. If you attempt to heat a thermoset plastic to high or extreme temperatures a second time, it would directly burn. This feature or characteristic exhibits or claims the thermoset materials being the poor competitors for recycling.
Polycarbonate (PC) is also an amorphous substance, implying that it does not exhibit crystalline solids' requested features or characteristics. Generally, amorphous plastics illustrate a tendency to soften progressively (that is, they have a broader range between their glass transformation temperature and their melting point) rather than to display a sharp transformation from solid to liquid.
Lastly, Polycarbonate is a co-polymer in that it is constituted of numerous multiple distinctive monomer classes in alliance with one another.
Polycarbonate Roofing Merits And Demerits:
PC is a very robust, active, and resilient thermoplastic material. It is also very lightweight and can oppose extreme temperatures, including both hot or cold. These qualities and features formulate to be a useful roofing element for numerous applications or usage.
While PC roofing may not be the best alternative for an entire house, but it is a perfect and ideal choice for other structures that include decks, sheds, garages, patios, and conservatories.
PC is also most commonly used for pool covers or roofing on industrial storage houses or warehouses. They are practically unbreakable with 250 times the impact or influential strength of float glass and 30 times acrylic sheets. Hence, polycarbonate panels are an excellent and outstanding output for a wide variety/range of outdoor and exterior uses.
Types Of Polycarbonate Roofing:
All the polycarbonate products are incredibly durable and stable with high impact resistance and weather resistance. Also, the Polycarbonate Roofing Sheets have UV protection to limit or block the damage from direct sunlight when it is being used in exterior spaces and outdoors. The types of polycarbonate sheets are categorized as below:
Clear Polycarbonate Sheets:
This type of polycarbonate roofing is frequently used in rooms having an excessive amount of sunlight, patios, and all the other rooms that need natural light to come in by the roof. Most of these PC roofing panels also arrive with a protective or safety film coating to strain out the sun's UV radiations or rays.
Foam-backed Polycarbonate Sheets:
This type of PC roofing is a lightweight alternative that is chiefly used for industrial buildings, including industrial warehouses. However, numerous homeowners manage to use this material for sheds, carports, or other somewhat sloped roofs.
Other Uses Of Polycarbonate Roofing Sheets: The most readily recognized examples of polycarbonate are DVDs. If you have ever attempted to break or damage the CD before chucking it away, you must be knowing how challenging it can be. Even quality or standard sunglasses that help block UV rays also consist of polycarbonate lenses, which makes them great impact-resistant.
Benefits/Merits Of Polycarbonate Roofing
PCs can oppose or withstand extreme amounts of force and are almost unbreakable. There are also bullet-resistant PC varieties that are utilized in those things, including police shields, etc. These PC sheets are also very lightweight, forming them easy and quick to transport and fix or install anywhere. With the UV preventing capacities of polycarbonate, it is ideal for constructing sunroom roofing, shelters, or awnings.
These properties or features of polycarbonate also make it the perfect material for the construction or building of greenhouses. Also as PC panels are resistant and face extreme temperatures, including hot or cold, snow, rain, sunlight, etc. It allows the panels to last for many years and are durable, without fading or discoloring and prevailing destruction or damage free from any other different impacts.
Downsides/Demerits Of Polycarbonate Roofing
Despite all those advantages of using polycarbonate panels as a roofing material, there are not many downsides. The one demerit to polycarbonate sheets is that they are not scratch-resistant. Thus, denting, scratching, or scraping on the surface is possible if additional caution and care aren't taken.
