6 Reasons Why A Polycarbonate Sheet Is Way Better Than Glass/ Other Acrylics

Polycarbonate sheets are fast replacing glass, and that is not surprising.

Looking at the promises which solid polycarbonate sheets bring to the consumer market, it is little wonder why they have become the go-to option for most manufacturers today. In this piece, we explore some of the biggest advantages which they have over glass.

As a case study, we choose the YUEMEI Clear Polycarbonate PC solid sheet for the wide array of stunning specs it packs

1 Lightweight

Glass can be heavy, especially when a lot of it is needed. This makes storage, handling and transportation of the material even more difficult.

Polycarbonate sheets solve this problem by bringing almost all of the features of glass, with a dash of its own special touch, while carrying a fraction of the weight.

The lightness makes them way functional for construction purposes and practical everyday use – such as in police riot gears which have to be carried around.

2 Impact Resistance

We don’t need to tell you how fragile glass can be. No matter the thickness of glass, it does not take much effort to get it shattered. Compared to polycarbonate solid sheet, that is.

Due to the increased ability of this material to take a beating over glass, it has found diverse security applications – such as in riot gears (as mentioned above), skyscraper and glass house buildings (since they won’t buckle and break under slight impact) and more.

3 Thermal resistance

Constant alternative cooling and heating will cause glass to start cracking after a while, even if it experiences no other impact. Polycarbonate sheets are reinforced against these kinds of problems, coming with an ability to withstand higher temperature extremes without showing signs of stress or fatigue.

4 Sound insulation

Glass and other acrylic materials are great sound insulators, no doubt. However, it has been discovered that the same thickness of glass (or any other acrylics) will only insulate sound at 3-4dB levels lower than what is obtainable on polycarbonate sheets.

It is, thus, little wonder why polycarbonate sheets are the first choice when constructing highway noise barriers, public telephone booths, office areas and such other instances where sound interreference is to be kept at a minimum.

That, and we have not mentioned the fact that they stand a lesser risk of being fatigued from sonic energy

5 Processing

Given that this material can achieve the same results as glass with a lighter thickness, machining stands to gain a lot. Thus, all of cutting, drilling and installation becomes easier than if glass were being handled.

6 Elemental Resistance

Elemental resistance is a great feature when choosing glass for purposes like the construction of greenhouses on farms. Besides the obvious thermal resistance which allows farmers regulate the temperature and conditions within the greenhouse better, this unit also comes with integrated protection against the elements.

For one, the material on this polycarbonate sheet is anti-flammable, helping to prevent the spread of fire and associated damage to whatever is behind it.

On top of that, the UV coating on the surface makes it suitable for use as a polycarbonate roofing sheet. By preventing the sheet from yellowing under the glare of direct sunlight, the UV coating ensures greenhouse plants can always tap needed nutrients from the sun.

For other applications, that means there is a lesser risk of visibility impairment from using such a material.