What are polycarbonate resin

Against the backdrop of the increasing demand for applications that emphasize safety, transparency and high performance today, how to select a material that can not only handle complex structural molding but also possess excellent flame retardancy and optical properties is becoming a key challenge in engineering design. Makrolon® 6557, as one of the high-end polycarbonate resin under Covestro, has widely attracted attention from the fields of electronics and electrical appliances, lighting components and precision engineering with its unique formula and structural performance. It not only ADAPTS to the industry's trend towards lightweighting and durability, but also demonstrates an performance that exceeds expectations in actual processing. What exactly are its key advantages and how can it empower the manufacturing of the next generation of high-performance components? Here's a detailed explanation for you.

01 | Product Highlights of polycarbonate resin

  ・Flame retardancy and light stability coexist: It can achieve V-0 or V-2 fire resistance ratings at various thicknesses. With the addition of UV stabilizers, it can effectively address the challenges of indoor and outdoor light aging for a long time.

  ・Smooth demolding, suitable for automated production lines: Medium viscosity design combined with demolding AIDS reduces the molding cycle and improves processing efficiency.

  ・Electrical safety guarantee: Insulation strength up to 29kV/mm, volume resistance up to 10¹⁵Ω·cm, meeting a wide range of low-voltage electrical applications.

  ・Outstanding optical performance: Even when the thickness reaches 3mm, it still has a light transmittance of over 88%, making it suitable for transparent components such as lighting enclosures.

02 | Wide range of applications

Makrolon® 6557 is suitable for a variety of industries that have high requirements for optical clarity, safety levels and structural strength, such as

  ・Transparent electrical cover plate/distribution box shell
  ・LED lighting module/lampshade
  ・Automotive interior components/display protectors
  ・Medical equipment casing
  ・High-grade electrical insulation components

Under the current trend emphasizing environmental protection regulations and electrical reliability, the market demand for low-halogen/halogen-free flame retardant materials continues to rise. Makrolon® 6557, with its outstanding comprehensive performance, has become a stable choice for major brands in high-safety-level products.

03 | Polycarbonate resin data sheet

Looking for the full datasheet? Contact us for more technical information.

04 | Industry Trends and Application Prospects

▶ Green flame retardancy has become a global trend

Globally, regulations banning halogenated flame retardants are becoming stricter, driving materials towards an upgrade towards "environmental protection + efficiency". Makrolon® 6557, as a halogen-free V-0 grade PC material, meets the green and environmental protection requirements of the European and American markets and has broad potential in new energy vehicles, high-end home appliances and 5G communication equipment.

▶ The upgrading of the optoelectronic industry has driven the demand for high-transparency flame-retardant materials

With the explosive growth in fields such as 5G base stations, smart street lamps, and in-vehicle display modules, traditional materials like PMMA and PSU cannot meet the requirements in terms of transparency or thermal stability. However, Makrolon® 6557, with its high transparency and flame retardant properties, has become the preferred alternative material for photoelectric enclosures.

▶ Safety solutions to replace glass

Compared with traditional glass materials, polycarbonate has a 200-fold increase in impact resistance, is lighter in weight, and does not break. It has been widely used in fields such as medical Windows, transparent covers for instruments, and Windows for automation panels, where both safety and visual effects are required.

05 | Process Suggestions

  ・Forming method: Injection molding is the main method, and co-extrusion or thermoforming is also supported

  ・Mold temperature: 80-110° C. It is recommended that the mold temperature be higher than 100°C to ensure optical quality

  ・Melt temperature: 280-310°C

  ・Drying conditions: 120°C for at least 4 hours to prevent performance degradation caused by hydrolysis

06 | Similar recommendations

07 | Why Choose Juyuan?

✅ has 24 years of experience in international trade of plastic raw materials

✅ only produces genuine original factory materials and refuses recycled and regenerated materials

✅ professional technical advisor + full trade compliance guarantee

✅ long-term stock supply, stable global delivery

✅ support samples + technical data + material selection guidance

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