Polycarbonate

Acronym and details:   PC

Group:   thermoplastic

Developed:   from 1958

Trade names:   Makrolon

Manufacturing process:   blow moulding; extrusion; injection moulding

Cost:   medium

Colour:  

Transparency:   transparent to opaque

Rigidity:   rigid

Feel:   hard

Smell:   none

Other:   can be outstandingly strong

Typical uses:   safety and space helmets; compact discs and DVDs; as copolymer as mobile phone housings; car components; large bottles; glass substitute

Degradation:   stable but can crack