Polycarbonate belongs to the group of synthetic polymers and doesn’t usually have a fixed or permanent structure. The proportion of crystalline matter in PC is less than 5%. It’s a highly stable material, is extremely rigid and impact-resistant, and is characterised by a high degree of hardness.

Polycarbonate is colourless and transparent. It’s expensive in relation to other plastic materials, so that’s why it’s generally used when it’s not possible to source other suitable plastics. This is often the case when other materials are brittle, soft or prone to scratching. Examples of product uses for PC are: CDs, DVDs, lenses for spectacles and other optical devices, O-rings or seal rings (for military vehicles), aeroplane windows, protective screens (for specialised vehicles) and burglary-resistant glazing.

Compound is a general term that refers to (pre-)sorted plastic and synthetic materials which also have other substances and additives mixed in with them. By a process known as compounding, at least two substances are combined to produce a uniform mixture.

By means of compounding, the raw material is modified into one that has a specific application or a particular use case. Plastic materials can be compounded in a certain way to make them UV-resistant (for example, in the case of sunglasses or protective eyewear).