The polycarbonate sheets have gained popularity in a number of applications such as greenhouse glazing due to the wide range of advantages as they are associated with. Its weight, UV resistance properties, flexibility and high impact strength are some of the outstanding properties of the materials.
How to distinguish polycarbonate sheet’s quality has been one of the most challenging processes. In any application, the polycarbonate sheet’s quality can be determined based on R value, shading coefficient, solar reflection, U value, light transmission and solar heat gain coefficient. Of course, this may be very technical for an ordinary shopper- a reason why you should acquire these items from a reputable dealer whose products come with a warranty.
Below are simple procedures which can help you to distinguish polycarbonate sheet’s quality:
- The quality of any polycarbonate sheet will be determined by the type of material which has been used in the manufacturing process. Normally, manufacturers produce polycarbonate sheets using two main types of materials; new raw materials and recycled materials. A polycarbonate sheet which has been manufactured from recycled material will have a yellow surface when viewed under sunshine. Those that have been manufactured from new raw materials will be clear and bright. This is the first test you should conduct when you are planning to buy polycarbonate materials.
- Bending test; you can conduct a bending test on the polycarbonate materials. You can cut a small piece of the sheet and bend it more than 10 times. Normally, the low quality materials can only bend about 2 to 3 times after which they will break. However, high quality polycarbonate sheets can bend more than 15 times.
- Examining the cross section of the sheet and the weight. You should ensure that the sheet stub is vertical and the thickness is uniform. Similarly, it should not have a lumping weight.
- Light transmission; a quality polycarbonate sheet should transmit about 75% of light with the same and thickness. Those that transmit light below 75% are considered to of poor quality.
These are some of the most basic tests which can be conducted to distinguish polycarbonate sheet’s quality. There are quite a number of tests which can be conducted which may require specialized technology. An example of such a test is the use of ZEISS microscope, which is used by most polycarbonate sheet manufacturers to determine the UV thickness. Remember, UV coating is an essential part of these materials since they resist strong sunlight thereby, preventing the yellowing of the sheet. The burn test can also be used to determine the quality of the carbonate sheet. When you burn polycarbonates and extinguish them; they should produce a faint, sweet aromatic ester. Moreover, the color of the flame should be orange.
In most cases, the advanced test to determine polycarbonates sheet’s quality is conducted during the manufacturing process in industries. This is because the test procedures are both time consuming and expensive. It is important that you go for those products which have been certified by the regulatory authorities. You should deal with only those companies have been ISO certified.
