Polycarbonate - what kind of material and where to apply?

Polymeric materials today are widely used in the construction of buildings and structures for various purposes. Among them, polycarbonate is a panel that consists of two or three layers, between which are located longitudinally oriented stiffeners. Due to the honeycomb structure it was possible to achieve mechanical strength of the blade with low weight.

Description of polycarbonate

Cellular polycarbonate in cross section resembles honeycombs, which can be triangular or rectangular in shape. As a raw material for this material is used granular polycarbonate, which can be obtained by condensation of dihydroxyl compounds and polyesters of carbonic acid. The material is made according to TU-2256-001-54141872-2006, however the sizes prescribed in these rules can vary depending on the customer's wishes. The parameters of the stiffeners are determined by the manufacturer, the maximum permissible deviation is not established.

Temperature modes of use

Cellular polycarbonate has a high resistance to adverse environmental conditions. The temperature regime of use depends on the brand of material, compliance with the rules of technology and the quality of raw materials. For most varieties of panels, this indicator varies from -40 to +130 degrees. Some types of material described can withstand extremely low temperatures, which are -100 degrees. However, the structure does not collapse. When exposed to high temperatures or cooling, linear changes in size may occur. A valid extension must not exceed 3 millimeters per 1 meter, as regards the width and length of the sheet. For the reason that the material polycarbonate is characterized by a large thermal expansion, it must be mounted with appropriate gaps.

Chemical Resistance

When using finishing panels, it is necessary to take into account the fact that they are exposed to all sorts of destructive factors. Polycarbonate is the material that has excellent resistance to a number of chemicals. However, it is not recommended to use linens if they can be affected by insecticidal aerosols, cement mixtures, PVC-plasticized substances, concrete, strong detergents, halogen and aromatic solvents, ammonia based sealants, acetic acid and alkali, ethyl alcohol solutions.

Stability of polycarbonate to chemical compounds

Polycarbonate is the material that will tolerate the impact of salt solutions with a neutral acid reaction, as well as concentrated mineral acids. Panels are not afraid of reducing agents and oxidants, as well as alcohol solutions, except for methanol. When installing the webs, silicone sealants and specially designed sealing elements must be used.

Mechanical strength

Polycarbonate is able to undergo significant mechanical loads. It must be taken into account that the surface can be abrasionally affected by prolonged contact with fine elements like sand. It is possible to form scratches when exposed to rough materials, which have sufficient hardness. Mechanical strength will depend on the structure and brand. If we talk about the ultimate tensile strength, then the premium product has a parameter equal to 60 MPa. The yield point of the same grade is 70 MPa. The impact strength is 65 kJ / mm. The manufacturer gives a guarantee for maintaining performance for 10 years, provided that the sheets have been installed correctly and using special fasteners.

Thickness parameters and specific gravity

The technology assumes the possibility of manufacturing polycarbonate in different sizes. Currently, the market for building materials can be found sheets, the thickness of which varies from 4 to 25 millimeters. Each of these types has a different internal structure. The density of polycarbonate is 1.2 kilograms per cubic meter. For canvases, this indicator depends on the number of layers, the thickness of the panels and the distance between the stiffeners. With a sheet thickness of 4 millimeters, the number of walls is limited to two, while the distance between the stiffeners is 6 millimeters. With a thickness of 25 millimeters, the number of walls is 5, while the pitch between the edges is 20.

Resistance to sun

Polycarbonate is the material that can guarantee reliable protection against radiation. In order to achieve this effect, a layer of stabilizing coating is applied to the sheet during production. This technology provides a service life of 10 years. The probability of detachment of the protective coating from the material itself is not, since the polymer is reliably fused to the substrate. When installing the sheet, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the coating designed to protect against solar radiation must be turned outward. Light transmission capacity depends on the color, for example, unpainted sheets have these parameters in the range from 83 to 90 percent. Transparent color canvas skips no more than 65 percent, however, the transmitted light dissipates well.

Thermal insulation characteristics

When building a greenhouse made of polycarbonate, what kind of material is it, you should know in advance. It has excellent thermal insulation properties. The heat resistance of this material is achieved due to the inside of the contained air and for the reason that the web has a significant thermal resistance. The coefficient of heat transfer will depend on the structure and thickness of the sheet. This parameter varies between 4.1 and 1.4 W / (m² · K). The first figure is true for a canvas whose thickness is 4 millimeters, while the second figure is for a 32 mm sheet. Polycarbonate is plastic, the use of which is advisable in the case when it is necessary to combine excellent thermal insulation properties and high transparency.

Fire resistance

Polycarbonate is considered resistant to high temperatures, it belongs to category B1, which, according to the European classification, means a hardly flammable and self-extinguishing material. When burning, it does not emit toxic gases and is not dangerous to humans. With the described thermal impact, as for the open flame, the processes of formation of through holes and destruction of the structure begin. The material begins to decrease in area.

Lifetime

Polycarbonate monolithic is the material whose manufacturers guarantee the preservation of the quality characteristics of the material for 10 years. This is true if the installation and operation rules are observed. If you do not damage the outer surface, you can extend the life of the panel. Otherwise, premature destruction of the web will occur. In areas where there is a risk of mechanical damage, sheets with a thickness of 16 millimeters or more should be used. During installation it is necessary to take into account the exclusion of the possibility of contact with substances that are capable of damaging the form of destruction.

Soundproof characteristics

The honeycomb structure provides a very low acoustic permeability, this indicates that the panels have excellent noise-damping properties, which depend on the variety of the sheet and its internal structure. Thus, in the case of multi-layer honeycomb polycarbonate, whose web thickness is 16 millimeters or more, the extinction of the sound wave is in the range of 10 to 21 dB.

Conclusion

We can say that Plexiglass is a polycarbonate with less outstanding quality characteristics. The second kind of material has a higher strength and reliability, for these and many other qualitative characteristics, the honeycomb structure is chosen much more often. This is due to the fact that polycarbonate is used in a variety of areas, including construction, as well as repair. Private consumers choose it to create visors, greenhouses, arbors and much more. Constructions from it are obtained easy and do not require erection of a special foundation. This makes the process cheaper and simplifies the work.