Polycarbonate (CAS 25037-45-0), abbreviated as PC, is a significant and widely used engineering polymer. PC possesses a range of properties, including optical transparency, excellent thermal stability and flame retardancy, high impact strength, and high stability under various environmental conditions. In contrast, PMMA (CAS 9011-14-7) is characterized by high optical transparency, UV resistance, and surface hardness [1-2].

PC exhibits high thermal stability, showing almost no decomposition below 250°C. It demonstrates remarkable resistance to photodegradation and is among the plastics most resistant to damage from high-energy radiation. At room temperature or below, it withstands exposure to water or water vapor [3]. However, PC has certain disadvantages, such as softness, high melt viscosity, and notch sensitivity.

PMMA is inherently brittle and prone to crack propagation; PC is tough, whereas PMMA is brittle. Consequently, the impact strength of PC is far superior to that of PMMA. Furthermore, PMMA offers better scratch resistance due to its high surface hardness, while PC is softer and has relatively poorer scratch resistance.

Spot price

In terms of overall market supply and demand, the unit price of PC is typically significantly higher than that of PMMA (usually by about 15% to 35%). Currently, the price of Polycarbonate (PC) is 19,800.00 RMB/ton, while the price of Acrylic (PMMA) is 13,650.00 RMB/ton.

Applications

Polycarbonate (PC) is widely used across various industrial sectors, including automotive, transportation, construction, packaging, medical, optical media, and electrical, audio, video, and laser-based optical data storage systems. However, neither polymer alone meets the multifunctional requirements of wearable devices. PC and PMMA offer complementary properties; combining the toughness and thermal stability of PC with the optical clarity and surface hardness of PMMA enables materials to meet the rigorous demands for mechanical strength, optical transparency, and environmental stability required for wearable and flexible electronic devices. In the hybrid material, the PC-enriched phase plays a primary role in stress transfer, thereby significantly enhancing the overall material's impact resistance and tensile strength.

References

[1] Dugyala Anusha et al., Advances in Polycarbonate–Acrylic Hybrid Materials: Fabrication Techniques, Properties, and Applications in Wearable Technologies [J].Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2026. Volume 3196. DOI 10.1088/1742-6596/3196/1/012093

[2] E. ANTONAKOU; D. A. Recent Advances in Polycarbonate Recycling: A Review of Degradation Methods and Their Mechanisms[J]. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2012, 4 1: 9-21. DOI:10.1007/s12649-012-9159-x.

[3] DAVIS A, GOLDEN J. Stability of Polycarbonate[C]. 1900: 0. DOI:10.1080/15583726908545896.