0. Polycarbonate is more resistant to chemicals and can, therefore, be cleaned by harsher cleaners containing chemical compounds like ammonia. When it comes to producing polycarbonate sheets, however, the extrusion manufacturing process is most commonly utilized. While it depends on the final product and volume, Polycarbonate is generally 30-40% more expensive than Acrylic. Polycarbonate is sometimes called Lexan (trademarked name by GE Plastics) or Makrolon. Acrylic has a low chemical resistance and needs more specific cleaners. Acrylic is often compared to polycarbonate, another transparent polymer sometimes used for bearing loads. Acrylic and polycarbonate are very useful plastics with a wide variety of properties. Acrylic is the most common choice for the majority of basketball hoops for the outdoors. As you might imagine, Polycarbonate is more expensive than Acrylic. It can withstand greater force against it. When comparing polycarbonate vs acrylic plastic are they more similar than they are different? The unique physical properties and manufacturing process of each plastic allows sheeting to be produced in a variety of forms specifically designed to fulfill both broad and narrow applications. Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate Before deciding whether acrylic or polycarbonate best suits your machining needs, it is important to understand the differences between the two plastics materials. Here is the much awaited comparison between the most commonly used clear products in the industry, Acrylic & Polycarbonate. They mostly suit the … Light & Clarity. 1. If you set up polycarbonate vs acrylic plastic in an arena, there would be a clear winner. Each of the two have benefits and drawbacks. 0. Polycarbonate is stronger than acrylic. Amongst the backboards, it is the most expensive, that is why it is rarely purchased in homes and places where basketball equipment are needed for fun. Pros and Cons of Acrylic and PVC laminates … There are various chemical differences between Polycarbonate sheets (manufactured by companies such as Lexan and Makrolon), and Acrylic sheets, but two of the main differences are the strength and fire rating. So finding a reliable plastics distributor that can provide both types of sheets to you in order to meet all of these different needs. Polycarbonate is sold under the trade names Lexan® and Makrolon® and is used in various applications. It won’t begin to lose that strength and durability that it has today! This is then reacted with methyl alcohol to finally produce methyl methacrylate. Batch cell and continuous bulk polymerization are the two methods used to create acrylic plastic sheets. It has superior weathering properties compared to many other transparent plastics. Our Polycarbonate sheet offers a level of safety that no other clear glazing material can match. Polycarbonate is sometimes called Lexan®, which is a trademark by Sabic. What Are the Similarities Between a Polycarbonate Vs Acrylic Basketball Backboards. Polycarbonate and acrylic plastic are both polymers. Acrylic is also easier to crack, while polycarbonate is easier to scratch. Polycarbonate VS Acrylic: Custom Material Comparison – Acrylic Strength Although acrylic has absolutely nothing on polycarbonate when it comes to strength characteristics, at a small scale, I’d argue it’s actually totally fine for use in key chains and other items where yes, it can break but at a quarter inch in thickness and more, it’s actually pretty resilient. Without getting too bogged down by the technical details, polycarbonate is produced by the reaction between bisphenol A and phosgene COCl2. These are the most common methods for creating these polymers. Before we can properly analyze Plexiglass vs Lexan, their benefits and drawbacks. It's more crispier. When shopping for a basketball backboard you will discover many different materials that basketball backboards are made of. On the other hand, polycarbonate is by far the superior choice for high-security applications. When acrylic was created in the early 1900s, one of the products produced with it was registered under the name Plexiglas. Generally speaking, acrylic sheeting is shinier and polycarbonate sheet is stronger. To begin the process, raw resin (polycarbonate pellets) is fed into an extruder and melted to the desired temperature. For situations where a buyer is price sensitive, acrylic panels will stand out. A polymer is simply a material made up of different molecules that are linked together in long chains. Acme has a proud heritage of customer service and reliability since 1943. Polycarbonate is the option to go for if you want an almost unbreakable clear plastic sheet. Both have benefits and drawbacks. Plastic is synthesized from petrochemicals. The benefits listed above for polycarbonate are a strong selling point however, Acrylic offers even more in the way of flexibility and choice. 0. In particular, “Plexiglas” is used almost interchangeably with “acrylic plastic.” While each trademark product may have slightly different characteristics, they each form an acrylic plastic. Cleaning. Polycarbonate is far more impact resistant than acrylic but easier to scratch - polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable. Second, acrylic is extremely scratch resistant. Strength: The polycarbonate is stronger than the acrylic. Second, acrylic is extremely scratch resistant. Have questions about acrylic or polycarbonate? Summary. Both acrylic and polycarbonate are clear plastic materials, so they are similar on several accounts, but differences exist between both of them. Explore what to consider when choosing between the two. Price of Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate. What is Polycarbonate? First, like polycarbonate, acrylic has very high transmissivity (it allows for the passage of light). The characteristics of polycarbonate compare to those of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic), but polycarbonate is stronger and will hold up longer to extreme temperature. Plastic is a polymer that has a large molecular mass. Polycarbonate is sometimes called Lexan®, which is a trademark by Sabic. … Why block the beautiful scenery along the highway because you want to install a sound barrier? Polycarbonate is a synthetic resin whose monomer units link to each other through carbonate linkages. The Benefits of Acrylic Panels . Acrylic is also less expensive than polycarbonate and unlike polycarbonate, acrylics can be heated and molded to shape, then heated again while retaining its quality appearance. Because of these two qualities acrylic is frequently the plastic of choice for optical devices. Polycarbonate vs Acrylic We’ve seen how polycarbonate is used and the many applications it’s used in but as with any building or production material, there is always an alternative. Acrylic is often compared to polycarbonate, another transparent polymer sometimes used for bearing loads. Cut-to-Size Clear Acrylic Sheet - Extruded, Cut-to-Size Fluorescent Color Acrylic Sheet - Cast. Using Acrylic. Although both polycarbonate panels and acrylic panels share some beneficial traits with each other, these polymers are still quite different from each other—making them ideal for different situations. It hаѕ ѕuреrіоr wеаthеrіng рrореrtіеѕ соmраrеd tо many оthеr trаnѕраrеnt рlаѕtісѕ. Acrylic also has better clarity than glass, with a light transmittance of 92 percent. Polycarbonate is definitely the stronger of the two, partly due to the fact that … Using a process known as bulk polymerization, the monomer (methyl methacrylate) and the catalyst (typically organic peroxide) are poured into a mold, which is sealed and heated to produce the reaction that forms the acrylic plastic polymer. Acrylic is a great alternative to polycarbonate and in many ways offers a similar but more advanced experience, depending on your needs. Available in matte or glossy finishes, PVC laminates are thin, and can be bent without breaking. Acrylic is more likely to chip, and it's also slightly more flammable than Polycarbonate, burning slowly and not recommended to be used in an area where flames are present or highly likely. Is acrylic better than polycarbonate? Read on to discover which type of window would be best for your needs. Polycarbonate Vs Acrylic: Which is Stronger? Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate. Each exhibits particular advantageous and disadvantageous characteristics that make one or the other more appropriate to use in a given application. So there's so much more time and labor in acrylic and that's why it's so much more expensive. As a result, both plastics are used in a number of applications across a range of industries. If glass is slightly too fragile, expensive, or difficult to machine, then clear acrylic is often the best choice. The molds are then cooled, opened, and the resulting acrylic plastic sheets are either immediately used or further processed to improve the overall quality of the final product. Damage resistance: Because both acrylic and polycarbonate are types of plastic they both boast impressive levels of resistance to forceful impacts and can hold their own against the majority of alternative materials. Here are the main points you'll be exploring in greater detail: Melting point of polycarbonate and acrylic Please consider the following: All major hatch, portlight, and window manufacturers use Acrylic in offshore / bluewater marine products. First off, it is important to note that both acrylic and polycarbonate backboards share quite a lot of similarities. Their drawbacks are: acrylic can crack/shatter under impact and polycarbonate is easier to scratch. 1. To help choose the right material for your sheet, rod, or tube, here are a few ideal applications for each plastic: Your one stop plastics center for any brand, any shape, any product. Both polycarbonate and acrylic are stronger and lighter than glass, but both scratch more easily. Acrylic is very rigid whereas polycarbonate is more flexible. Polycarbonate is far more impact resistant than acrylic but easier to scratch - polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable. Cleaning. Shares. Acrylic and polycarbonate sheeting have a number of differing characteristics. While both polycarbonate and acrylic panels have their benefits, the ideal choice between the two comes down to your unique situation. Polycarbonate and acrylic sheets both suitable options for common glass applications. Acrylic sheet, which is also known as polymethyl methacrylate sheet (PMMA), is made from a derivative of natural gas and trades under the name Perspex® along with other brand names. I spend inordinate amounts of time discussing the pros and cons of acrylic and polycarbonate. Acrylic is shinier and polycarb is stronger. Both materials are also very easy to clean. To begin with, they are both strong and durable plastic materials. Before we can properly analyze Plexiglass vs Lexan, their benefits and drawbacks. Here are some common applications: Spectator protection for ice hockey rinks. Polycarbonate sheet has a UK Class 1 fire rating whereas acrylic has a UK Class … I buy, use and sell a significant amount of both products and each has its application. Acrylic sheet, which is also known as polymethyl methacrylate sheet (PMMA), is made from a derivative of natural gas and trades under the name Perspex® along with other brand names. There are five total basketball backboard materials. Now that you’ve had a quick look at the key differences between acrylic and polycarbonate, let’s take the time to understand why each material possesses these special properties and capabilities. September 11, 2020; Glass Genius; Total. So, what’s the difference between plexiglass vs acrylic? Polycarbonate is generally more expensive than acrylic plexiglass. Acrylic vs PVC Laminates : What is PVC Laminate Finish? Remember, if it's plastic it’s at ACME PLASTICS. Thinner acrylic sheets can be cured in 10 to 12 hours, but thicker sheets may require several days of cure time. Acrylic is known as one of the closest materials to polycarbonate and the two are often compared, however, the question is, what are the benefits of one over the other and is one simply a better option? When it comes to polycarbonate sheets vs. acrylic sheets, they differ in a few key areas, including their appearance, strength, ability to be shaped and cut, and their durability over time. Acrylic vs Polycarbonate. Acrylic is more scratch resistant than standard (9034) polycarbonate. Acrylic is a transparent plastic mаtеrіаl wіth outstanding strength, ѕtіffnеѕѕ, and орtісаl сlаrіtу. Acrylic is significantly … Polycarbonate and acrylic are suitable for use in a variety of applications, some similar, and some very different. Polycarbonate sheets can cost on average about 35% more than acrylic. Both acrylic and polycarbonate are easy to clean. 1. Acrylic and polycarbonate both weigh less than half of what a comparably sized piece of glass weighs yet they are both much stronger than glass. A Comparison of Acrylic (Plexiglass) vs Polycarbonate (Lexan) Glass. Below we detail the similarities and differences of each kind of plastic. The best choice for cleaning is a microfibre or 100-percent cotton cloths. Acrylic vs Polycarbonate Lighting Fixture Lens Request for Quote Contact Us When choosing a protective lighting lens fixture, it is important to compare the material benefits of both acrylic and polycarbonate materials before finalizing any decisions. Common applications: Spectator protection for ice hockey rinks the obvious place to start is the differences material. Tests glass, acrylic gives a cleaner glue joint than polycarbonate is 250 times the impact resistance, …! Acrylic was created in the industry, acrylic, it is best to use only soap. 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