Recently, with the development of the chemical industry, the building materials market has been replenished with durable, resistant types of plastic, which are used for glazing, manufacturing interior items or translucent structures, and building a roof. These include polycarbonate, which has become a more reliable and durable alternative to silicate glass. This inexpensive material with high impact resistance and wear resistance has replaced more expensive, but less effective counterparts in all parts of the building "front." Polycarbonate is a transparent polymer belonging to the class of thermoplastics. It is used for glazing, the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses, roofing and other purposes. In this article we will tell about the technical characteristics and types of this material.
Composition and benefits
Polycarbonate is a complex of carbonic acid polyester and bisphenol A, it belongs to the class of thermoplastic polymers. Technical characteristics of this material allow replacing them with ordinary silicate glass. Polycarbonate can be transparent, opaque or translucent depending on the degree of light transmission. It has high impact resistance, flexibility, carrying capacity and durability. Polycarbonate thickness reaches 32 mm with an extra light weight of 4-8 kg per square meter. The advantages of polycarbonate plastic consider:
- A light weight. The weight of plastic based on carbonic acid and bisphenol is small enough to cost a simple metal or wood frame, which greatly simplifies installation.
- Flexibility. Polycarbonate plastic sheets are perfectly bent, thanks to which complex figured and arched roof structures are made of this material.
- Translucency. Transparent polycarbonate plastic transmits up to 92% of the visible light spectrum, making it used for the construction of greenhouses, greenhouses and winter gardens. Opaque material is used for flooring, construction of road signs, signs, signs, billboards.
- Высокая ударопрочность. Specifications материала на основе угольной кислоты настолько хороши, что он выдерживает интенсивные весовые нагрузки и удары значительной силы, не деформируясь.
Important! Choosing a transparent or opaque polycarbonate plastic, draw on the technical characteristics of the material. High-quality products, which have a coating that blocks ultraviolet rays, will last 1.5-2 times longer with an insignificant price difference.
Polycarbonate, whose technical characteristics make it an alternative to brittle silicate glass, is used in many areas of construction. The widespread use of this material has forced manufacturers to produce more than a hundred brands, which are distinguished from each other by the structure, color, thickness and dimensions of the sheet. The following types of polycarbonate are distinguished:
- Cellular. Cellular polycarbonate is a polymer transparent plastic made from carbonic acid and bisphenol, which consists of two panels connected by internal stiffeners. The structure of this material consists of cells filled with air. Cellular polycarbonate may consist of 1-5 layers, the number of which depends on the thickness of the sheet. Plastic of this type has a low thermal conductivity and excellent flexibility, however, it is less transparent than monolithic. It is mainly used for the construction of greenhouses, greenhouses, the construction of a translucent roof gazebos or sheds.
- Monolithic. Monolithic plastic is a cast sheet that looks like ordinary silicate glass. It is heavier, stronger, more expensive than a cellular counterpart. Unlike glass, monolithic polycarbonate is very impact resistant, and also has a high bearing capacity. It is more transparent than cellular, the coefficient of translucency of this material is up to 92%. The thickness of the monolithic polycarbonate is 3-8 mm, and the size of the sheet depends on the technical capabilities of the manufacturer. It is mainly used for vertical glazing as a more durable, inexpensive replacement for silicate glass.
Note! Technical characteristics, sizes of sheets of transparent polycarbonate allow using this material for glazing, construction of impact-resistant structures, elements of urban infrastructure, interior items, and roof construction. Manufacturers produce colorless or colored polycarbonate plastic. Colorless material is used for the construction of greenhouses, greenhouses, and color opaque for decorative glazing.
Transparent polycarbonate of cellular or monolithic type was created as an alternative to brittle, short-lived, expensive silicate glass. Therefore, assessing the possibility of using plastic in the design, its quality is compared with this material. Technical and operational characteristics differ:
- Transparency. Silicate glass is only 1% more transparent than monolithic polycarbonate. A cellular plastic is inferior in this indicator, having a coefficient of light transmission of 84-86%, which is quite enough for plant life.
- Ease. Monolithic plastic is 2 times lighter than glass, and honeycomb at 6, with both materials exhibiting greater impact resistance.
- Impact resistance. The impact resistance of polycarbonate is more than 200 times higher than that of silicate glass. Moreover, it is 10 times stronger than acrylic glass, these data are confirmed by tests.
- Flexibility. Polycarbonate sheets are easy to bend without the use of heat treatment. In this performance, they bypassed silicate as well as acrylic glass.
- Thermal conductivity. Polycarbonate plastic retains heat better than silicate glass, which increases the value of this material for the construction of greenhouses or greenhouses.
When choosing a cellular or monolithic polycarbonate type for roofing, glazing, please note that standard sheet sizes are 2.05x3.05 m, however, the maximum product length is up to 12 m. The thickness of the material varies in the range of 2-32 mm. The thicker the plastic, the lower its transparency. In addition, it is recommended to use a cellular thermoplastic of small thickness to create shaped structures, since it has maximum flexibility.