Polycarbonate (PC) is one of the preferred materials for several electronic parts such as keypad, housing etc. of mobile phone, computer or digital camera. However, it is necessary to coat the PC part in order to increase its resistance of regular wear & tear due to scratch and maintain good surface appearance This secondary operation increases cost.
To help solve this challenge, GE Plastics has
developed a new family of Lexan PC resins featuring
outstanding scratch resistance. Compared to standard
PC, GE's Lexan DMX resins provide improved surface
hardness without the need for hard coating. These
materials are excellent candidates for transparent
applications such as soft keys, infrared lenses,
bezels and screens.
Lexan DMX is a copolymer. The laboratory result of scratch resistance indicates that it improves 5 times compared to conventional uncoated PC. While ordinary PC gives 2B rating this new material achieved H rating. Coating of this material with either acrylic or silicone increases the resistance to 3H.
Eliminating the need for secondary coating operations can provide several benefits to manufacturers:
- Lower costs by avoiding the purchase of coating materials and equipment
- Reduced cycle time by cutting out a secondary processing step
- Less environmental impact from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the atmosphere from the coating process
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