Housing & insulation: Rugged polycarbonates for safer power applications

Polycarbonate and PC blend resins are used in components for low-voltage applications like switches, sockets, power strips, circuit breakers and electric meters. PC offers rugged performance, impact and heat resistance, as well as a high dimensional stability and recyclability. Anti-weathering properties also make it a good option for outdoor use, for example on security camera housings and electric vehicle charging stations. Our materials house and protect a wide variety of everyday products, from consumer electronics to household appliances like blenders and vacuums. For advanced applications such as clean energy management and smart grids, the property profiles of our Makrolon® polycarbonates, Apec® co-polycarbonates, and Bayblend® and Makroblend® blend resins – especially our dedicated grades – meet the strict requirements for materials used in electrical engineering, including flame retardancy, and ensure compliance with industry specifications and standards.

As the electrical industry moves toward smarter power management, the good signal transmission properties of thermoplastics makes them compatible with smart metering, smart switch and socket solutions, as well as smart circuit breakers. For these applications, we offer tough polycarbonate and PC blends in flame-retardant grades such as Makrolon® FR, Bayblend® FR and Makroblend® FR (PC+PBT; PC+PET blend) resins, all three of which meet UL94 V0 standards up to 0.75 mm. These materials can also be applied in electric vehicle charging stations and power storage devices to support the efficient use of energy.

Electricity management components need to meet strict safety requirements and enable good manufacturability. Our polycarbonates are tested for end-use applications such as electricity meter housings, equipment housings and lamp sockets. Dedicated solutions such as reinforced Makrolon® support a wide temperature range (-100ºC to +130ºC) for use in electrical distribution boxes. Flame-retardant grades of Bayblend® (PC+ABS; PC+ASA blend) offers toughness and resistance to heat, making them ideal for cables and wiring ducts, electrically insulating pipes and conductor rails.

Polycarbonate and PC blends like Makrolon® and Bayblend® are well-adapted to house security cameras – whether for indoor or outdoor use. They offer good flame retardancy, as well as versatile design options including thin-wall molding thanks to their good flow characteristics. In addition, PC protects surveillance applications, from entire cameras to lenses, in virtually any weather without weighing them down. The high impact resistance of PC makes it a strong lens protector while functional colors can be used to conceal camera lenses as needed.

Smart devices embody ever-evolving technologies and trends – so they require flexible, high-performance materials. Thanks to their good flow properties, our PC resins and blends are ideal for a wide variety of housings, from network and smart home devices to drones, wearable electronics and smartphones, including thin-wall designs. High-chroma custom colors and transparent, opaque or high-gloss finishes can also be achieved. PC fully meets requirements on recycling and banned substances while also providing a cost-effective, durable and reliable materials that withstands impacts and chemicals.