Lexan

Description

[GE Structured Products] A registered trademark for a thermoplastic Polycarbonate sheet that was first marketed in 1959. Lexan sheets are clear, strong, and have good weather resistance. They have a lower softening temperature than Plexiglas and do not fracture as easily. Most of the Lexan sheets are UV stabilized to provide a resistance to yellowing that is similar to acrylic sheets. The manufacturer lists the following cleaners as compatible with Lexan sheets: Freon, VM&P naphtha, Windex with Ammonia D [Dracket Products], Top Job [Proctor & Gamble], Joy [Proctor & Gamble], Palmolive Liquid [Colgate Palmolive] and Formula 409 [Clorox Co.],

Synonyms and Related Terms

polycarbonate sheet

Similar products: Makrofol [Bayer]; Makrolon [Bayer]; PC1000 [Quadrant]; Tuffak [Arkema]

Risks

Polycarbonate is derived from and releases bisphenol A upon degradation via hydrolysis. Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and alkali cleaners catalyze the release of bisphenol A (BPA) from polycarbonate (Hunt 2003, Koehler 2003).

Physical and Chemical Properties

Soluble in benzene, gasoline, acetone, carbon tetrachloride.

Resources and Citations

• GE: Lexan Website

• Molly McGath, AIC Plastics Panel, Contributed information, 2020.

• Hunt, PA; Kara E. Koehler; Martha Susiarjo; Craig A. Hodges; Arlene Ilagan; Robert C. Voigt; Sally Thomas; Brian F. Thomas; Terry J. Hassold (2003). "Bisphenol A Exposure Causes Meiotic Aneuploidy in the Female Mouse". Current Biology. 13 (7): 546–553. doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00189-1. PMID 12676084

• Koehler, KE; Robert C. Voigt; Sally Thomas; Bruce Lamb; Cheryl Urban; Terry Hassold; Patricia A. Hunt (2003). "When disaster strikes: rethinking caging materials". Lab Animal. 32 (4): 24–27. doi:10.1038/laban0403-24. PMID 19753748. Archived from the original on 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2008-05-06.

• Collin, S.; Bussière, P. -O.; Thérias, S.; Lambert, J. -M.; Perdereau, J.; Gardette, J. -L. (2012-11-01). "Physicochemical and mechanical impacts of photo-ageing on bisphenol a polycarbonate". Polymer Degradation and Stability. 97 (11): 2284–2293. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.07.036.

• "Pollution Database". pollution.unibuc.ro. Archived from the original on 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2016-11-14.