Acrylic(plexigalss) and polycarbonate(lexan) plastics are oftentimes compared to one another because they are similar in appearance and the most frequently utilized see-through plastic materials on the market. They have lots of similarities and differences. Generally speaking, acrylic product is shinier and polycarbonate product is stronger. they both weigh less than half of glass and they are both much stronger than glass. In this blog you will see the difference between Acrylic and Polycarbonate from different aspects.

Acrylic VS Polycarbonate – Typical Physical Properties

	UNITS	ASTM TEST	ACRYLIC	POLYCARBONATE
Specific gravity		D792	1.19	1.2
Light transmittance	%	D1003	92	86
Tensile elongation	%	D638	4.5	135
Heat deflection temperature	°F	D648	195	280
Maximum continuous service temperature in air	°F		160	240
Flexural strength	psi	D790	17,000	13,500
Tensile strength	psi	D638	10,000	9,500
Tensile modulus of elasticity	psi	D638	400,000	345,000
Flexural modulus of elasticity	psi	D790	480,000	345,000
Compressive strength	psi	D695	17,000	12,500
Izod impact	ft-lbs/in	D256	0.4	12.0 – 16.0
Coefficient of linear thermal expansion	in/in/°Fx10-5	D696	4	3.8
Dialectic strength	V/mil	D149	430	380
Water absorption (immersion 24 hours)	%	D570	0.2	0.15
shrinkage rate	%		0.2% to 0.5%	0.5 to 0.7%

Acrylic VS Polycarbonate – General characteristics

Characteristics	Acrylic	Polycarbonate
Strength	17 times impact resistance of glass	250 times impact resistance of glass
Clarity	92% light transmittance – Better clarity than glass	88% light transmittance
Chemical Resistance	Low – should only be cleaned with plastic cleaners	Higher than acrylic- can be cleaned with products containing ammonia. Resistant to gasoline and acids.
Cost	Less expensive than Polycarbonate	More expensive material – cost difference can range based on thickness
Recyclable	yes	yes
Requires heat to shape	yes	no
Weight	less than half of glass	less than half of glass
dimensional stability	Good	Good
flammability	low	High
Cleaning	easy to clean	easy to clean

Acrylic VS Polycarbonate – Machinability

	Acrylic	Polycarbonate
Machinability	Easier to machine than polycarbonate	Easy to machine
Cutting	Can be cut with conventional tools – Easier to cut, but there is a higher risk of cracking material.	Can be cut with conventional tools – Fights the initial push of a saw or router
thermoforming	Easy to thermoform	Easy to thermoform
Drilling	Will crack if it is near the edge. Need a plastic specific drill bit.	Typically, does not crack when drilling near the edge. Can use regular drill bits.
Bonding	Cleaner glue joint than Polycarbonate	Can be glued, but the joint will not be as clean as acrylic
Bending	Heat bending	Cold bending/ cold forming
Polishing	Can be polished	Cannot be polished, only buffed
Cold-form	not recommended	yes
Cut, drill with standard tools	yes	not recommended

Acrylic VS Polycarbonate- Applications

Application	Acrylic	Polycarbonate	Why to choose
Indoor signs	✔		Acrylic has low cost
outdoor signs	✔		Acrylic has better Durability
Furniture	✔		Acrylic has better Clarity
Shelves and retail fixtures	✔		Acrylic has better Clarity
Brochure holders	✔		Acrylic has better Clarity
Machine guards		✔	Polycarbonate has better impact resistance
Face shields		✔	Polycarbonate has better impact resistance
Riot shields		✔	Polycarbonate has better impact resistance
Headlamp lens		✔	Polycarbonate has higher thermal resistance

How to Choose between Acrylic and Polycarbonate  

There are several key factors to consider when evaluating polycarbonate vs acrylic for your commercial project. Here are 6 factors to be considered during design.

Strength 

polycarbonate is stronger than acrylic. Less rigid and able to withstand temperature changes without breaking, compared to traditional glass, polycarbonate sheets are up to 250x stronger, while acrylic is only 17x. if your product requires a Higher strength, polycarbonate will be your choice.

Transparency

To the naked eye, polycarbonate and acrylic both appear to boast the same clarity for glass alternatives for windows. However, Acrylic has a better Light transmittance than polycarbonate, if your product requires a strict optic requirement, high light intensity, then Acrylic will be a better choice for your project.  

Surface damage resistance 

Considering the environment of your product goanna to be used, if your product is easy to touch other objects which may cause scratches on your product, then Acrylic will be your choice due to its better Scratch resistance performance than polycarbonate. Polycarbonate products are more likely to fall victim to scratches that can’t be buffed out. On the other hand, acrylics are more adaptable to chips or even cracks when subjected to strong impacts. But anyway, if you still want to use polycarbonate, then hard coating on polycarbonate will be Alternative solution.

Durability against the elements 

For indoor use, both materials stand up to whatever their intended uses are. you can choose both of them

For outdoor use, acrylic fares better against exposure to the sun. Because of acrylic’s chemical composition, it’s resistant to UV rays and doesn’t warp or discolor as easily. Polycarbonate, however, need additional protection from the sun’s rays — usually, a thin layer of a UV ray-resistant coating is applied to both sides of the material or they’ll yellow after prolonged exposure to the sun.  

Machinability 

Take sheet as example, polycarbonate sheets are easier to work with than acrylic sheets — but not in the sense you might think. 

Because polycarbonate sheets are stronger, they are better suited for fabrication than acrylics. Whether cut, drilled, or shaped, polycarbonate is less likely to break, though it does take more effort and skill to fabricate. Acrylic is comparative weakness, however, does make the material easier to form. In simplest terms, acrylic sheets won’t lose integrity or strength after being heated and molded into a shape. So you need to choose the material according to your machining process method.

Price 

Because of its strength, durability, and extra effort required during fabrication, polycarbonate costs more. Those factors contribute to its higher cost. Acrylic is more prone to breaking. It’s a cheaper alternative to glass that is easier on your budget to use.

Conclusion

After you read above-mentioned comparison, you would be able to make a decision between the two materials for applications across varied sectors now.. KUSLA has a rich experience with these two materials and provide Acrylic and Polycarbonate sheets, rods