CALIBRE* polycarbonate resins meet a wide range of impact requirements- from 1.5 to 18.0 ft-lb/in (80 to 950 J/m) notched Izod impact strength. However, understanding the "balance" of end-use temperature and impact requirements is crucial in selecting a resin for a specific application.

Tensile Strength

  Tensile properties provide an important indication of a material's strength. They are a measure of the force required to pull the resin apart, and of the amount of stretching it can withstand before breaking. Tensile properties are calculated from a stress-strain plot.

Figure 11- Stress-Strain Plot at 73¡ÆF(23¡ÆC), CALIBRE 300 Series Resins

  A typical stress-stain curve for CALIBRE polycarbonate resins is shown in Figure 11. The data were generated according to ASTM D 638. Ultimate tensile strength is the maximum stress a material can withstand at the point of rupture. Yield tensile strength is stress at which non-elastic deformation begins or where an increase in strain occurs without an increase in stress at the yield point. Ultimate elongation is the total elongation of the sample at the point of rupture. The modulus of elasticity is the ratio of stress to strain in the elastic region.

  The area under the curve of a stress-strain diagram indicates the relative toughness of a material. CALIBRE resins have a high tensile yield strength, a high ultimate tensile strength and a high ultimate elongation. They therefore have a large stress-strain area, which is indicative of high toughness. CALIBRE polycarbonate resins are among the toughest engineering thermoplastics.

Figure 12- Yield Tensile Strength at Various Temperatures, CALIBRE 300 Series Resins

  The yield tensile strength, ultimate tensile strength and tensile modulus for CALIBRE polycarbonate resins are relatively constant, showing no significant change over the range of commercially available MFRs. However, there properties do decrease with increasing temperature. Figure 12 indicates how yield tensile strength values are affected by changes in temperature.

Impact Strength

Instrumented Dart Impact



"*" Trademark of the Dow Chemical Company, licensed for use by LG DOW Polycarbonate LTD.