A Quantitative and Qualitative Comparison

Acrylic is often compared to polycarbonate, another transparent polymer sometimes used for bearing loads. Polycarbonate is sometimes called Lexan®, which is a trademark by Sabic. Another popular brand name for Polycarbonate is Makrolon®, owned by Bayer. Hammerglass® is another polycarbonate mainly used for security and against vandalism. Acrylic on the other hand is often called Plexiglas. Plexiglas® is a trademark by Evonik.

Comparison of Characteristics

Acrylic:

• More likely to chip
• Less impact-resistant than polycarbonate, yet still 10-24 times more resistant than float glass
• More resistant against evenly-distributed loads then polycarbonate
• Less likely to scratch.
• Does not degrade in colour to yellow after time.
• Better clarity. Acrylic can be restored to optical clarity by polishing.

Polycarbonate:

• Impact/chip resistance is about 30 times more resistant than glass
• More likely to scratch.
• Substantially more expensive. (Roughly 2 to 3 times)
• Used for more industrial applications
• Bulletproof when thick enough.
• More bendable under normal temperatures (0-20°C)
• Goes yellow over time due to UV rays
• Easier to work with
• Poorer clarity, diffuses light

Sources: Plexiglass Data Sheet Lexan 9030 Data Sheet (*2): Makrolon AR – Bayer Sheet Europe, octubre de 2004