Improving environmental performance of polymer glazing through novel material hybrids

Polycarbonate (PC) is a leading challenger to glass in automotive applications. While offering excellent impact resistance, it suffers from minimal long term weathering resistance. The present paper presents research from the Foresight Vehicle sponsored PABS2K programme that has delivered cost effective and efficient environmental protection mechanisms for PC components. The utilisation of specially formulated acrylic laminates provides excellent protection to the PC matrix when subjected to accelerated weather testing. Careful material formulation and component processing made this protection possible without significant reductions in impact performance normally witnessed with PC-PMMA laminate structures. However, optimum levels of acrylic impact modifying and UV absorbing agents exist, beyond which no physical improvements are witnessed and reductions in properties may even occur. The present work theoretically allows more diverse selections of abrasion resistant hardcoats to be subsequently employed to improve component hardness if desired, as the need for ultraviolet blocking capabilities is removed and an effective protection mechanism remains in place on any final component even if any applied hardcoat becomes damaged.