Polycarbonate for Interior Design

KEY ADVANTAGES  

Modern polycarbonate has vastly superior impact strength as compared to glass and will not shatter when exposed to high strains or blunt force. Crack resistance is especially valuable – representing just one of the many reasons polycarbonate is used in fighter jet canopies and windows.

Therefore, polycarbonate windows can be coated to a hardness comparable to glass. Therefore, these windows resist scratching, and many chemicals commonly used to wash windows or interior design features.

Furthermore, laminated glass is also subject to delamination – where the bonding between layers fails – displaying unsightly patterns known as “traveling air pockets.” Aside from being aesthetically unpleasant, over time, these air pockets can seriously diminish visibility around the edges of the affected transparencies.

At less than half the weight of glass — (SG: 1.2 vs. 2.45) — polycarbonate is an excellent alternative, especially where weight and structural integrity and strength play a key factor in design.

Generally, flat unprocessed glass is less expensive to purchase than polycarbonate. However, tempered glass, such as used in most vehicles, is about equivalent in cost. Nevertheless, formed and/or laminated glass will be far more costly to produce than modern polymers and is always limited since it is far less maleable where complex shapes are required.

Above all, if a window is to have a more defined shape, with complex curvatures, the forming tools for glass are usually made from steel or ceramic and are very expensive to produce.

By contrast, the tools used for forming polycarbonate windows are generally made from fiberglass-reinforced resin. As such, the difference in tooling costs can be substantial; a consideration that becomes far more important for low-volume production cycles.

Although glass can be formed into curved shapes – due to its restrictive malleability – the finished shape will be quite limited, with complex shapes being far more challenging and costly to achieve.

By contrast, modern polycarbonate can be easily formed into far more radical compound shapes while retaining excellent optical properties and minimum aberration. These properties are truly advantageous for designers who wish to depart from traditional shapes and produce a shape which is farm more dramatic and eye-catching.

Polycarbonate transmits more light than glass; in fact, up to 90% of visible light. By contrast, mineral glass transmits between 80-90%, depending on the type of glass.

In cases where laminated glass has several layers, such as ballistic formulations, the image observed through the pane tends to adopt a greenish hue, whilst polycarbonate remains neutral.

The thermal conductivity of polycarbonate is considerably superior to laminated glass. With current fuel costs rising dramatically building insulation is at the forefornt of new architectural designs, particularly with skylights or windows where lower running costs for heating and air-conditioning are ever more important.

Equally, Polycarbonate offers 99.99% UV blocking as compared to 25% for glass. Similarly, up to 40% of infra-red is blocked compared to 0% for glass, depending on the tint being used.

This becomes more apparent for personnel working in hot environments, or where strong daylight conditions are required. The insulating properties of polycarbonate, offer a more comfortable environment, and also protect fabrics, paintings and other decorative artefacts from the harsh properties of sunshine entering a dwelling.

Although polycarbonate is softer by nature in its raw form, thanks to the many advances achieved with technology, and through the application of silicate coating, polycarbonate can achieve a hardness approaching that of glass.

The silicate coating affords far superior protection, thus resisting most scratches and making the transparencies impervious to yellowing and chemical attacks.