What is the Difference Between Polycarbonate and Poly Methyl Methacrylate

The key difference between polycarbonate and poly methyl methacrylate is that polycarbonate is comparatively stronger than poly methyl methacrylate.

Polycarbonate is a synthetic resin whose monomer units link to each other through carbonate linkages, while poly methyl methacrylate monomer is a polymer made of methyl methacrylate and has different important applications.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Polycarbonate
3. What is Poly Methyl Methacrylate
4. Polycarbonate vs Poly Methyl Methacrylate in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Polycarbonate vs Poly Methyl Methacrylate

What is Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate can be described as a synthetic resin whose monomer units link to each other through carbonate linkages. It is a form of plastic created from the reaction between Bisphenol A and phosgene, which are two are monomers that do not contain any carbonate groups. However, after polymerization, the polymer chains contain carbonate linkages, which leads to the naming of these polymers as polycarbonates.

Polycarbonate vs Poly Methyl Methacrylate - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 1: The Chemical Structure of the Monomer unit of Polycarbonate

Furthermore, polycarbonate polymers contain aromatic rings. Polycarbonate is available in different colours. Typically, these polymers have a transparent nature, but we can make some coloured products that are typically translucent, depending on the intensity of colour.

Polycarbonate has a step-growth polymerization process. In this process, a condensation reaction that involves two functional groups occurs (an unsaturated monomer is not involved). Polycarbonate is a strong and transparent material. Furthermore, the toughness and optical clarity of this material makes it suitable for indoor and outdoor applications as well. Polycarbonate is easily machined, and this material has good dimensional stability with a high impact strength.

What is Poly Methyl Methacrylate?

Poly methyl methacrylate can be described as a polymer material that is very important in different applications. It is made of the monomer methyl methacrylate, which is an organic compound having the chemical formula CH2=C(CH3)COOCH3. Methyl methacrylate is a colorless liquid having the methyl ester of methacrylic acid, and it is the monomer of producing large-scale poly(methyl methacrylate) or PMMA polymer.

Polycarbonate vs Poly Methyl Methacrylate in Tabular Form

Figure 02: Skeletal Formula of the Polymethyl Methacrylate Repeating Unit

There are different methods of producing the monomer of poly methyl methacrylate, including the cyanohydrin route, methyl propionate route, production via propionaldehyde, isobutyric acid, methyl acetylene process, isobutylene route, etc. Moreover, there are ways of joining poly methyl methacrylate: using cyanoacrylate cement, using heat for welding, and using chlorinated solvents, including dichloromethane. These factors can dissolve the plastic at the joint. Then, these joints fuse and set through, forming an almost invisible weld. There are different uses of MMA monomers, such as the use in the manufacture of PMMA polymer, production of copolymer methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene that is useful as a modifier for PVC, as a raw material for methacrylate, etc.

What is the Difference Between Polycarbonate and Poly Methyl Methacrylate?

Polycarbonate is a synthetic resin whose monomer units link to each other through carbonate linkages, whereas poly methyl methacrylate is a polymer made of monomer methyl methacrylate and is very important in different applications. The key difference between polycarbonate and poly methyl methacrylate is their strength. Polycarbonate is typically stronger than poly methyl methacrylate. Moreover, polycarbonate is more expensive than poly methyl methacrylate. Furthermore, poly methyl methacrylate is stiffer than polycarbonate. In addition, polycarbonate can withstand up to 120 Celsius degrees, while poly methyl methacrylate can withstand up to 90 degrees Celsius.

The following figure presents the summary of the difference between polycarbonate and poly methyl methacrylate in tabular form.

Summary – Polycarbonate vs Poly Methyl Methacrylate

Polycarbonate and poly methyl methacrylate are important materials in industries. The key difference between polycarbonate and poly methyl methacrylate is that polycarbonate is stronger than poly methyl methacrylate comparatively. In addition, poly methyl methacrylate is stiffer than polycarbonate and cannot withstand temperatures higher than 100 Celsius degrees.

Reference:

1 “Polycarbonate (PC).” British Plastics Federation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Lexan” By DrTorstenHenning – Own work, drawn with bkchem (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “PMMA repeating unit” By DrTorstenHenning – Own work, drawn with bkchem (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia