Development of an Impact Resistant Test Method for Polycarbonate.

Abstract : Polycarbonate offers many advantages as a structural transparency material, having excellent impact resistance as well as acceptable optical and thermal properties; however, one of the difficulties in evaluating impact resistance of polycarbonate is the lack of a universally accepted and standardized test method. Some transparency vendors rely on the falling weight impact test which yields good qualitative results. However, to date these falling weight impact tests have been performed under loosely controlled conditions, not governed by well-defined test procedures. The notched Izod test has been and continues to be used for qualitatively evaluating impact resistance of polycarbonate per MIL-P-83310, even though it has not been clearly established that this is the best method for evaluating the impact resistance of notch-sensitive polycarbonate. This report discusses six test methods and compares the results from each test. (Author)