Polycarbonates are transparent thermoformable materials noted for their superior impact resistance. This quality of the material makes them the ideal materials for protection against vandalism or outside forces of nature. Remarkably, polycarbonate sheet is also highly malleable.

Polycarbonate films are films based on polycarbonate and can be processed without losing their original shape or durability. They are transparent with two glossy surfaces and offer excellent thermal stability. They offer excellent dielectric properties and good printing performance. They act as an easy substrate to print, giving excellent ink adhesion without pre-treatment.

They are available in wide variety of finishes, textures and gauges. They offer high transmittance, excellent surface uniformity and ease of processing. They offer superior mechanical, electrical and optical properties for applications requiring high clarity, improved heat resistance or reduced glare. They are hard and resistant to chemicals and abrasion.

Surface Finishes
Polycarbonate films fall into three broad categories:

• Polished Grade Polycarbonate Film - They offer light transmission through all gauges. These films are available in custom colors and the surface can be embossed or selectively textured by a screen printing for aesthetic purposes.
• Textured Grade Polycarbonate Film - They are anti-reflective and control light diffusion. They are easy to process and can also be embossed. They help to conceal scratches.
• High Performance Grade Polycarbonate Film- They offer exceptional resistance to attack by chemicals and to abrasion, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. They feature a proprietary UV stable coating, which brings long lasting outdoor performance to a wide range of graphics applications.

Applications: Polycarbonate films and packaging
Typical applications include instrument panel overlays, thermoformed medical packaging, mousepads, automotive dials, automotive control panels, keypads, chip packaging, menu boards, and film insert molding. They are ideal for screen or offset printing, bringing important benefits to a wide range of graphics applications. They are ideal for display windows. Polycarbonate films can be thermoformed into packages of any desired shape and sizes. These films provide excellent physical properties and good clarity required for medical product packaging. The superior clarity of this type of film is that it allows surgeons and other medical professional to easily identify and verify package contents, thereby providing an additional degree of quality control. Polycarbonate films are good for packaging, especially medical packaging because of the following reasons:

• Polycarbonate film excels in optical clarity.
• These films have excellent printability.
• They have high strength and dimensional stability.
• They offer high temperature resistance.
• They have superb workability for secondary processes like die-cutting, embossing and thermoforming. They come in a variety of surface finishes like gloss, matte, velvet, and even suede.
• Special properties that can be imbibed into polycarbonate films are like colors, enhanced weather resistance, chemical resistance and flame retardance.