The modern market is constantly replenished with new types of finishing and building materials. One of them is polycarbonate monolithic, which in a short time gained great popularity both in the industrial and private sectors. What is it?
In fact, this is one of the types of translucent "plastics", which competes with such well-known products as organic glass. It has several names - "solid", "monolithic", "cast", "sheet".And the point here is not in the technology of production, but in the structure of the material. Unlike many "colleagues", it is not porous, "honeycomb"( read more about it here).The products are produced in the form of separate sheets with thickness in the range of 1 - 12 mm.
Material features
- Large range of products. The difference between products is mainly their ability to transmit light( transparency).In some types of polycarbonate it can reach 94%.
- Light weight. A sheet of polycarbonate, which has the same light transmission capacity with a traditional glass, weighs about half the size( with identical dimensions).
- Increased mechanical strength. According to this characteristic, it considerably exceeds such products as glass window( 250 times), organic( 10 times).Monolithic polycarbonate can be attributed to anti-vandal materials, since separate sheets can not be broken even by hammer blow.
- Ease of processing, which greatly simplifies the finishing work - it is easily cut, sawed, malleable to the alignment of the edges. Unlike glass, it is well drilled and glued, if damaged, it does not crumble into splinters.
- Reducing costs( including materials) for assembly work. Due to the low weight of sheets of monolithic polycarbonate it is possible not to build massive load-bearing skeletons designed for heavy glass. And this allows you to save on many elements of the structure construction, first of all, on the foundation. By the way, the requirements to soil characteristics are somewhat reduced.
- Individual products effectively reflect IR and UV rays.
- Refers to non-combustible materials. Thermal action starts the melting process, and ignition is possible only at a temperature of about 6,000 ° C.In this case polycarbonate practically does not smoke.
- Withstands its large swings. Can be operated in the range from -400 0С to +1200 0С, which allows the material to be used in any latitudes, as well as in "complex" industries, where the technology provides operation at high or low temperatures.
- Resistance to most chemical compounds. Does not react to paints, detergents, cleaners and similar compositions.
- Perfectly absorbs sound, which is successfully used in the arrangement of soundproof coatings. Double glazing makes sound insulation almost absolute.
- High thermal insulation properties. According to this indicator, monolithic polycarbonate is 5 times more efficient than ordinary glass.
- Good flexural compliance, which allows the use of material for installation of structures with complex configurations: fencing cabins, arches, decorative canopies and so on.
- A large range of color tones, which greatly increases the choice of design solutions.
Monolithic polycarbonate is suitable for engraving, silkscreen printing, screen printing and the like.
Specific technical characteristics of the products are largely dependent on the manufacturer, so there is no point in considering in more detail( their numerical expression).
Application of solid polycarbonate
- Glazing of facade parts of buildings and structures, various showcases, pavilions.
- Construction of transparent partitions, payphone cabins and the like.
- Arrangement of roofing, canopies, awnings, transitions, stopping complexes, parking of cars, aprons of railway stations and so on.
- For installation of dormer windows( for example, type "zenith torch").
- As construction elements in the construction of greenhouses, greenhouses, winter gardens.
- At installation of advertising banners, signboards, boards.
- To reduce the degree of heat loss of buildings and structures.
- Production of lighting fixtures.
- Indicators, various signs, including, and road signs.
- Protective articles( helmets, shields).
In the automotive industry, polycarbonate is used for the production of windshields, fog lamps.
Widely used material found in the weapons industry( for example, in the manufacture of optical devices).And this is not a complete list of all where it is possible to use the unique properties of monolithic polycarbonate.
As an example - some average prices for sheets of standard sizes( 3.05 x 2.05 m).The cost depends both on the thickness and color of the material( in rubles / m²):
- 1 mm - 314;
- 2 mm( color / transparent) - 469/447;
- 6 mm - 1408/1341;
- 10 mm - 2347/2235;
- 12 mm - 2816/2682.
