Lexan

Description

[GE Structured Products] A registered trademark for a thermoplastic Polycarbonate (PC) sheet that was first marketed in 1959. Lexan sheets are clear, strong, have good weather resistance and are often used for optical products, optical discs, sunlight panels, etc. 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. Lexan can be used as window and door glass. PC laminates are widely used in banks, embassies, and public places for protective windows, aircraft hatch covers, lighting equipment, industrial safety panels and bulletproof glass.

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.
• Melting point is 212 C
• Flame retardant and impact resistant without any additives
• Lexan Technical Manual

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.