z Polycarbonate (PC), was first developed in 1953 by Bayer in Germany, and General Electric in the US independently. Its most popular trade name is LEXAN
®
z PC is one of the high performance heterochain polymeric materials that comprise the family of “engineering
thermoplastics”
z PC is a good material choice in industry not only due to its characteristics, but also because its processing is environmentally friendly, and it can be recycled
The Characteristic high glass transition temperature (Tg = 145ºC) of PC is caused by the minimal molecular rotation about the bonds
z A polycarbonate molecule is composed by a Bisphenol A part and a carbonate group
z Bisphenol A contains two aromatic rings, which are responsible for PC’s stiff
backbone
z The Bisphenol A group also contributes to PC’s inability to crystallize. This
amorphous structure gives the polymer its particular transparency