Polycarbonate (PC) has high strength and impact resistance, making it one of the ideal materials for mobile cases. Because PC Material Phone Case hardness is much higher than ordinary plastics and silicone, it has become the base material for many mobile cases.
Characteristics and Limitations of PC Material Phone Case
Characteristics of PC Material
PC (polycarbonate) is a polymer engineering plastic widely used in various industries due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, particularly in the production of PC material phone cases, as well as electronic products and auto parts.
- Extremely high strength: PC is 10 to 20 times stronger than ordinary plastics and far exceeds acrylic materials. It can produce more protective PC material phone cases.
- High light transmittance: Its light transmittance is as high as 90%, and the visual effect is comparable to glass. It is widely used in clear phone cases.
- Strong heat resistance: The glass transition temperature is as high as 150℃, and it can withstand high temperature of 120℃ for a short time. It is not easy to deform and can meet daily needs.
- Easy to process: PC material phone cases supports various molding methods such as injection molding, extrusion, hot pressing, CNC engraving, etc. It also supports surface treatments such as spraying, electroplating, and silk screen printing. Therefore, it has become the base of many phone cases.
Limitations of PC Material
All materials have their limitations, and PC material is no exception. Therefore, it is essential to understand its shortcomings.
- Poor shock absorption: The hardness of the PC case makes it a firm guardian of the phone. However, it is too hard to significantly reduce its shock absorption ability. It cannot effectively protect the phone when it falls suddenly from a high place.
- Easy to turn yellow: PC material phone case may turn yellow over time when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. This is especially obvious in PC cases that are often placed outdoors or exposed to direct sunlight.
- High price: Compared with ordinary plastic mobile phone cases, PC cases are obviously more expensive. This is because the materials used are more advanced and costly.
Application of PC Materials in Mobile Cases
The hard and easy-to-form properties of PC materials are very popular in many products. Therefore, in order to improve the functionality and protection of mobile phone cases, manufacturers combine it with other materials to create a more powerful protective case.
- Clear phone case: The high light transmittance of PC material is very popular in clear phone cases that pursue transparent texture. It is matched with anti-yellowing coating to make it clear and last longer.
- Frosted phone case: The surface of PC material phone case is sandblasted to make it hazy. And the frosted phone case feels more comfortable and is not easy to leave fingerprints.
- Magnetic phone case: The hard PC material can make the magnetic component more compatible and better protect the magnetic attraction from external damage.
- PC+TPU hybrid case: The most common design on the market, PC hard case + TPU soft edge design. It can enhance the impact resistance and drop resistance of the phone case.
In Conclusion
PC material has become one of the core materials for making mobile phone cases due to its high strength, high transparency, strong heat resistance, and easy processing. Although PC material has disadvantages such as being too hard and easy to turn yellow, it can be changed by mixing with other materials and adding anti-yellowing materials. Therefore, more and more mobile phone cases on the market are made of mixed materials mainly based on PC materials. While improving the protection of the mobile phone case, it also improves the sense of fashion and comfort.