Popular Uses for Polycarbonate Plastic 

Polycarbonate plastic is a popular and dependable material for a number of applications. Not only is it durable and malleable, but it can withstand significantly high pressure. Furthermore, polycarbonate plastic can be cold-curved, allowing the material to be formed into complex angles and curves at room temperature without cracking or breaking. Today, polycarbonate is used in a wide array of different applications—but how many of these applications are you aware of?

Let’s take a look at four different uses for polycarbonate plastic that you might not be familiar with to see if polycarbonate could be the right choice for your next project.

Greenhouse with polycarbonate windows

Polycarbonate can withstand a large amount of heat, making it ideal for greenhouse panels and nurseries. Thanks to its high transparency, polycarbonate plastic can effectively sustain plant life while adding more durability to the greenhouse itself. Another notable benefit of polycarbonate is its high heat retention—an essential ingredient for greenhouses where controlled temperatures throughout the year.

Durable Fencing & Barriers

Polycarbonate barrier in hockey game

Polycarbonate plastic is strong, durable, and impact-resistant. For these reasons, many people use the material for barriers and fences. Hockey rinks, for instance, are often made with polycarbonate due to its resilience and enhanced safety. Polycarbonate sheets, for example, are affordable, transparent, and sturdy, and provide a simple and effective solution where transparency is needed. Swimming pools are often encased in polycarbonate thanks to the weather resistance and transparency the material offers.

 


 

Sunlight Protection

UV-resistant polycarbonate windows

Because polycarbonate tolerates heat fairly well, it can be used as a form of sunlight protection for storefronts that doesn’t affect the showcasing of products. Additionally, polycarbonate’s ability to filter out ultraviolet rays make it ideal for protecting items from the harmful rays of the sun. Without this protection, items placed in front of a window may become faded over time—polycarbonate can prevent this from happening.

Impact and Bullet Resistant Windows and Panels

When safety, security, or weather resistance is a top priority, many turn to the dependability and applicational flexibility polycarbonate plastic provides. Bullet-resistant sheets for example, are used in a wide range of functions. From protecting commercial brick-and-mortar locations like banks and retail stores, to adding transparent protection to vehicles, the strength of polycarbonate makes it the ideal material for bullet-resistance.

Additionally, polycarbonate plastic sheets offer optimal weather resistance—providing high-transparency without compromising on durability and strength. This makes the material an ideal replacement for traditional windows that experience severe weather like hurricanes or hail storms.

Final Thoughts

There are numerous applications for polycarbonate plastic, and we’ve only scratched the surface. Polycarbonate plastic is durable, heat resistant and malleable, making it an ideal plastic for manufacturing purposes, protection and security, or weather resistance. These applicational examples showcase the strength of polycarbonate and the benefits it can bring to a number of different projects. If you’re looking for a material that provides strength, durability, and resistance while remaining lightweight, polycarbonate plastic may be the material for you.