Polycarbonate films - mechanical resistance

Polycarbonate films – The high performance Film

Polycarbonate (PC) is a high-performance plastic film characterised by outstanding optical transparency and mechanical strength. Films extruded from polycarbonate are a versatile and flexible plastic product for various applications. These films are the basis of high quality solutions for various applications and industries.

The König Film Centre offers you polycarbonate films, in various thicknesses and surfaces, from the leading brands.

• Lexan ® films (from the manufacturer Sabic ®)
• Makrofol ® films (from the manufacturer Covestro ®)
• Makrolon ® films (from the manufacturer Exolon®)

Thanks to many years of experience as a plastic film shop, we are able to recommend the most suitable polycarbonate film for your application. We will be happy to advise you from the planning stage of your project right through to subsequent series production. We can provide you with technical data sheets for all of our films (including data such as heat resistance). In addition, you can request samples for the construction of initial prototypes or for other application tests. We can supply you with polycarbonate films cut into rolls of different length or cut into a rectangular sheet. Please let us know the format you require and we will be happy to prepare your order for you within a short delivery time. As a professional distributor we ensure a quick delivery of all films. In addition to polycarbonate, our available films also include polyester, PEI and PMMA. Please contact us for more information about our product range, we look forward to your enquiry.

Characteristics of polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a strong performance plastic characterised by the following properties:

Polycarbonate has an excellent mechanical stability (impact strength) and dielectric strength, it is also extremely heat and temperature resistant and insulating. Other advantages include the material's high dimensional stability and optical transparency (like glass). Our film products can also be used in the electronics sector thanks to their excellent electrical insulation and dielectric properties. Some of our products are scratch-resistant (special polycarbonate films and sheets with coating). Other products offer an ideal light diffusion. Our polycarbonate films also offer excellent printability. Some of our films have a special coating for an enhanced scratch-resistance.

Impact strength

Impact strength describes the ability of a material to absorb impact energy and mechanical loads. Polycarbonate films and sheets are enormously impact proof and thus significantly more resilient than many other products. This makes this plastic film ideal as protection material for machines, clear glass protection and many other applications.

Heat resistance for elevated temperatures

A particular advantage of polycarbonate films - compared to other materials - is their enormous stability to heat and temperatures. Due to a proof against temperatures of - 40 °C to 130 °C, these films can be used for demanding applications worldwide. The manufacturers of polycarbonate films and sheets specify a continuous service temperature of 105 °C. This enables use with short-term or permanently elevated temperatures for which other materials are not suitable. The heat resistance against elevated temperatures / heat is a big advantage of our films.

Limits of polycarbonate films

Polycarbonate films and sheets normally do not have an increased UV stability and are limited in their suitability for outdoor use. There are special products (Makrofol ® UV 244) that are UV stable due to stabilisers and are therefore more suitable for outdoor use.

Polycarbonate films and sheets are not known for an increased chemical resistance. When being in contact with chemicals, we recommend the PC-PBT film Bayfol ® CR.

Processing

Our polycarbonate films and sheets are characterised by their printability. Furthermore, our films can be cut, punched, lasered (with restrictions), embossed and glued. They are also suitable for thermoforming and back injection. You can also buy cut polycarbonate film from us that can be used for the film insert moulding process (FIM) and high pressure forming (HPF). The cold and hot formability (thermoforming) is another advantage of our polycarbonate films. Through the Film Insert Molding (FIM) process, it is possible to produce plastic components with a decorated or functional surface.

Thermoforming is one of the most common ways of turning materials and films into three-dimensional shapes using negative pressure.

Please use the according accessories for cutting and processing plastic films and sheets made of polycarbonate.

Applications

Our plastic film products are easy to process and are suitable for diverse applications such as:

• Printed front panels
• Membrane keypads
• Membrane switches
• Printed keypads
• Control panels and other panels
• Type plates for machines
• Interior fittings for automobiles
• Diffuser and light diffusion of lighting sources and LEDs
• Insulation of power supplies, cards or batteries
• Thermal and breakdown insulation
• Insulators and spacers – stable against elevated temperatures
• Labels and overlays
• Printed circuit boards
• EMI shielding
• Medical packaging and applications (FDA)
• Food contact applications (FDA)
• Glass protection
• Thermoforming

All our plastic films products are made for a performance of a long life-time and excellent quality. The stability to an elevated temperature and heat makes polycarbonate a solution for applications where other plastic films struggle.

Our product range

As a plastics material and product supplier, we carry an enormously extensive range of polycarbonate films in various thicknesses, as well as thin polycarbonate sheets. All stock materials can be made ready for a delivery within a few days.

Categories of our polycarbonate films

Our available polycarbonate sheets include:

✓ Clear glossy polycarbonate film – highly transparent / clear and optical qualities (clear like glass).

✓ Matt polycarbonate films – scratch-proof and resilient film.

✓ Coloured polycarbonate film – white, black and red films for higher opacity.

✓ With flame protection (UL 94 V0) – polycarbonate films with the highest fire protection class at elevated temperatures.

✓ Diffuser films – high-performance special films for light diffusion.

✓ Lenticular films for light control –special film for light diffusion.

✓ Reflector films – special pigments enable high reflection of light.

✓ Scratch-resistant polycarbonate films – with a coating for mechanically demanding applications.

✓ Chemical-resistant films – enable permanent contact with chemicals.

✓ Thin polycarbonate sheet – polycarbonate in thicknesses from 750 µm to 1 mm.

All our plastic products are available cut to your desired size. In addition to precise cutting, we offer you expert advice and fast delivery. For more information about our range of temperature stable plastics please visit www.folien-zentrum.com.

Colours

Besides a clear and colourless plastic film / sheet, we offer polycarbonate films in a range of colours:

• Clear polycarbonate product
• White polycarbonate products
• Black polycarbonate products
• Red polycarbonate products.

In addition to fixed formats and rolls, you can also order a suitable polycarbonate cut to size from us.

Surfaces, thicknesses, sheet size and roll length

We offer our polycarbonate products in the strength of 125 µm to 1 mm. Depending on the application, we recommend the right thickness. We also offer thin polycarbonate sheets.

There is a wide range of different surfaces for our polycarbonate films. We offer our polycarbonate films as polished, glossy and crystal clear (like glass), as well as in different textures. These range from fine matt to velvet matt, brushed to a coarse sand grain structure.

Our Service

If you have any further questions about the range of polycarbonate films, the temperature range, plastics in general, cutting or our product range or delivery times, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to send you technical data sheets or samples of our polycarbonate films and to support you in the development of your project. We offer polycarbonate cut into rolls of the required length and width as well as sheets cut into the required size / format. You can also order other plastic film products made of PMMA, polyester or PEI from us. All our plastic film products offer a long service life and excellent quality.

We offer you a wide product range of strong performance films and sheets with heat resistance and a quick delivery of all products.

FAQ

What are polycarbonate films?

Polycarbonate films are thin sheets made from high-performance polycarbonate plastic, which is known for its high transparency, impact resistance and versatility. They are used for visually demanding, mechanically resilient and electrically insulating applications in industry, technology and design.

What material are polycarbonate films made from?

Polycarbonate films are made from the thermoplastic polycarbonate (PC). High-quality brand films such as Lexan®, Makrofol® and Makrolon® are produced by leading manufacturers such as Sabic®, Covestro® and Bayer AG®.

What are the characteristics of polycarbonate films?

Polycarbonate films are particularly impact-resistant, temperature-resistant (-40 °C to 130 °C), insulating and optically transparent. They offer high dimensional stability, partial scratch resistance and are easy to print on. Special variants enable light diffusion or chemical resistance.

What are the typical applications of polycarbonate films?

Polycarbonate films are used for front panels, membrane keyboards, membrane switches, keypads, type plates, vehicle interiors, light diffusers, insulation, labels, printed circuit boards, EMI shielding, and for medical and food-grade packaging.

In what thicknesses and formats are polycarbonate films available?

Polycarbonate films are available in thicknesses from 125 µm to 1 mm and as thin sheets. They can be supplied in rolls or rectangular cut-to-size sheets and can be cut to the desired format.

How can polycarbonate films be processed?

Polycarbonate films can be cut, punched, lasered, embossed, glued, deep-drawn and back-injected. They are suitable for film insert moulding (FIM) and high-pressure forming (HPF) and can be cold or hot formed. No special accessories are required.

What colours and surfaces are available for polycarbonate films?

Polycarbonate films are available in transparent, colourless, white, black or red. Surfaces can be polished on one or both sides or have different textures, from fine to coarse matt, brushed or with a sand grain structure.

Are there special polycarbonate films for outdoor use?

Standard polycarbonate films have limited UV stability and are only suitable for outdoor use to a limited extent. Special UV-stabilised products such as Makrofol® UV 244 are permanently resistant to sunlight and are suitable for outdoor applications.

Which polycarbonate films are scratch-resistant or chemical-resistant?

Scratch-resistant polycarbonate films have special surface coatings for high mechanical stress. Chemical-resistant variants such as Bayfol® CR allow permanent contact with aggressive substances, for example in laboratory or industrial applications.

What advantages do polycarbonate films offer for lighting technology?

Special diffuser or lenticular films optimally direct and scatter light, protect LEDs and ensure uniform light distribution. Reflector films with special pigments increase light reflection and improve the efficiency of lighting systems.