For enhanced performance, Newko Polymers offers Polycarbonate (PC) alloys that blend the exceptional properties of Polycarbonate with other resins. These alloys are engineered to deliver optimized performance for specific applications, combining toughness, flexibility, and durability.
PC/ABS (Polycarbonate / Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
PC/ABS is one of the most widely used Polycarbonate alloys, offering a unique combination of the impact strength, toughness, and heat resistance of Polycarbonate with the flexibility, processability, and cost-efficiency of ABS. This alloy is prized for its high impact strength, even at low temperatures, and superior aesthetics, making it a preferred material in demanding industries like automotive, electronics, and consumer products.
Key Properties
- Superior Impact Resistance: PC/ABS exhibits excellent impact strength, particularly in low-temperature environments, making it highly suitable for safety-critical and exterior automotive components.
- Enhanced Processability: The inclusion of ABS improves the material’s processability, making it easier to mold into complex shapes with finer surface finishes and consistent dimensional stability. This leads to reduced cycle times and better productivity in large-scale manufacturing.
- Heat Resistance: While maintaining good impact properties, PC/ABS retains heat resistance, allowing it to be used in applications exposed to elevated temperatures.
- Aesthetic Versatility: PC/ABS offers an attractive surface finish and can be customized in various gloss levels and colors, making it ideal for visible parts that require both functionality and aesthetics.
- Dimensional Stability: The alloy holds tight tolerances, ensuring parts maintain their structural integrity and fit, even under environmental stress.
- Cost-Effective Performance: By blending the cost-effectiveness of ABS with the high-performance traits of Polycarbonate, PC/ABS strikes a balance between affordability and performance, making it a cost-effective solution for many applications.
Applications
PC/ABS is commonly used in industries that require strong, durable materials with excellent aesthetic quality and heat resistance, such as:
- Automotive:
PC/ABS is frequently used in automotive interior components, including dashboard assemblies, door panels, and console housings, where durability, impact resistance, and surface quality are crucial. Exterior automotive components, such as mirror housings and trim, also benefit from the alloy’s ability to withstand mechanical stress and environmental exposure. - Electronics:
In the electronics industry, PC/ABS is favored for making device enclosures, including laptop shells, smartphones, and consumer electronics casings, where both impact resistance and a high-quality surface finish are required. Its insulating properties also make it suitable for various electrical components and connectors. - Consumer Products:
PC/ABS is used in the manufacturing of everyday consumer products such as power tools, appliance housings, and protective gear. Its ability to withstand repeated mechanical stress, coupled with its aesthetic versatility, makes it an ideal material for products where both durability and appearance are important. - Medical Devices:
The material is also suitable for medical device housings that require a balance of impact resistance, chemical resistance, and the ability to maintain a sleek surface finish, even after repeated sterilization cycles.
Other Available Alloys
- PC/PBT (Polycarbonate / Polybutylene Terephthalate):
This alloy provides a balance of high impact resistance and chemical resistance, ideal for automotive and industrial components exposed to harsh chemicals and mechanical stress. - PC/PET (Polycarbonate / Polyethylene Terephthalate):
Known for excellent dimensional stability, rigidity, and heat resistance, this alloy is used in electronics and automotive components where performance at elevated temperatures is required.