Peter Morley

Arch-152 Project 2

Cellular or multiwall Polycarbonate

Master Spec #- 07 46 33

Manufactured by SABIC Innovative Plastics, Tuffak and Makrolon.

It is commonly referred to as Lexan, being one of the first brand names of Polycarbonate products.

Applications- Green houses, signage, office dividers, drop ceilings, curtain walls, roof systems.

Intended at first to be used as either a roof system or infill panels however; entire wall systems have been

developed for places requiring maximum light, while retaining some privacy.

-Polycarbonate sheets can be made to order for size, as large as shipping can accommodate, thickness, it

comes in a variety of finishes being clear or tinted to a range of colors, and can also be coasted with a

UV-tint to prevent the yellowing that occurs in other types of plastic.

- A 1” panel weighs approximately .65 pounds per square foot, lowering the dead load on the framing;

however, because it is plastic it does echo much more than glass or drywall.

Structural- can be self-supporting for applications such as office dividers, is used as a buildings skin will

need altered framing to accommodate for thermal movement, to avoid wrinkling that can occur.

Installation is easy as panels can either snap or slide into each other.

- In non-structural

applications it can be used as infill panels,

windows, and skylights.

Manufacturing- As with other plastics it begins as petroleum based pellets that are melted down and

pushed through a die to form shapes, heated in an oven to chemically create one uniform sheet, these are

then transferred onto cooling rollers where it sets before it is cut into various lengths as per the

application.

Environmental- Polycarbonate Sheets meet multiple LEED requirements for Energy and Atmosphere,

Materials and Resources, Indoor Environment Quality, and Innovative Design.

The life expectancy varies where used, however yellowing does not typically occur within 10-15 years,

and it is relatively maintenance free, easy to clean, and can have a higher R-value than glass of equivalent

thicknesses, is it not biodegradable but is completely recyclable and any waste from the manufacturing

process can be melted down and reused.