This document is a presentation by three students - AbdAl-Rhman Magdy AbdullahYoussef, AbdAl-Rhman Ali Basheer, and Amr Ahmed Saeed - on polycarbonate. It was supervised by Prof. Maher Gamal and Eng. MohammedYahiya. The presentation discusses the discovery and manufacturing of polycarbonate, its properties, applications in electronics, automotive, and construction, and safety considerations for handling and storage. It describes the interfacial polymerization process used to produce polycarbonate industrially using bisphenol A and phosgene, followed by separation, extrusion, pelletizing, drying and packaging steps. Major polycarbonate manufacturers include S

1. Higher Technological Institute-10th of Ramadan City
Department of Chemical Engineering
2018
Presented by Students
AbdAl-Rhman Magdy AbdullahYoussef
20160517
AbdAl-Rhman Ali Basheer
20160476
Amr Ahmed Saeed
20160629
Supervisors
Prof. Maher Gamal
Professor of Chemical Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
HigherTechnological Institute-10th of Ramadan City
Eng. MohammedYahiya
AssistantTeacher
Department of Chemical Engineering
HigherTechnological Institute-10th of Ramadan City
POLYCARBONATE
November

2. Contents

3. Introduction
✓ Polycarbonate or Lexan was discovered by;
Dr. Hermann Schell and his team at Bayar company in 1953.
✓ It is a condensation product of bisphenol A, and a carbonate
donner such as phosgene or diphenyl carbonate.
✓ Industrially it manufactured by;
❑ Interfacial polymerization (Bisphenol-A+Phosgene).
✓ It can be processed by Extrusion or Injection molding.
✓ Polycarbonate is a good engineering thermoplastic material having many good
optical, thermal, electrical and mechanical properties.
✓ It has many applications in different fields such as; electronics and automotive.
❑ Melt polymerization (Bisphenol-A+Di-Phenyl carbonate)

4. POLYCARBONATE
PROPERTIES

5. ✓ A study of the molecular structure of bis-phenol A polycarbonates enables
one to make fairly accurate prediction of properties of the polymer.
✓The relevant factors to be considered are:
Relation of Structure and properties of polycarbonate
Polycarbonate structure
(a) The presence of benzene rings in the chain restricts flexibility of the molecule.
(b) The repeating unit of the molecule is quite long.

6. Physical Properties

7. Acids—concentrated Poor
Acids—dilute Good
Alcohols Good
Alkalis Good
Aromatic hydrocarbons Poor
oils Good
Halogenated hydrocarbons Good
Halogens Poor
Ketones Poor
Chemical Resistance

8. POLYCARBONATE
MANUFACTURING

10. Introduction
❑Polycarbonate has two main types; bis-phenol A polycarbonate and non
bis-phenol A polycarbonate which has 7types.
❑ Bis-phenol A polycarbonate is manufactured using two methods of
polymerization, because the second monomer that added to bisphenol A
so if phosgene is added the polymerization method used is interfacial
polymerization and which the commercially method for production
polycarbonate, the other polymerization method done by using do-
phenyl carbonate instead of phosgene which known as melt
polymerization, the main advantage in this method is safety of di-phenyl
carbonate with opposite that toxicity of phosgene.
Process description

11. Stages of production
❑Production of polycarbonate pass through three stages; starting from reaction
of bis-phenol A and phosgene, then separation process until getting
polycarbonate powder and finally extrusion and drying PC-pellets and
packaging it.
❑In production of polycarbonate by interfacial polymerization method these
raw materials are required;
1- Solution of Bis-Phenol A and methylene chloride.
2- Phosgene in liquid form at 8.2°C.
3- Phenol in liquid form at 4°C, which used as molecular weight regulator, to
inactivate some
carbonate oligomer ends to get required weight.
4- Triethylamine added in liquid form at 20°C used as catalyst to prevent revere
of reaction.
5- Sodium hydroxide is added in solid form to get sodium salt of bis-phenol A.

12. (1) Reaction
The interfacial polymerization done
in patch reactor on two process;
❑ first bis-phenol A reacts with
sodium hydroxide to get sodium
salt of bis-phenol A at 25-30°C in
average time 25 minute as shown
in equation (1).
❑ after that and at same
temperature phosgene react with
sodium salt of bisphenol A to get
polycarbonate as shown in
equation (2).

13. (2) Separation
The target of separation process is releasing polycarbonate powder from chemicals of
previous stage and this occur in two stages using two units; centrifuge and
concentrator.
A- Centrifuge
It used for extraction catalyst and impurities such as; NaCl, and phenol from poly
carbonate solution, for ensuring that there’s no rest of catalyst and impurities 4
centrifuge are used for this process.
The desalinated water is used to wash product of reaction with rotational speed 2 rpm
for separating impurities from PC-solution.
B- Concentrator
After centrifuges polycarbonate and methylene chloride solution pass through a
concentrator at which an anti-solvent such as methanol added in liquid form for
precipitations process for separating Polycarbonate powder from methylene chloride.

14. (3) Extrusion & Pelletizing& Drying & Packaging
A- Extrusion
❑ After precipitation process poly carbonate powder passed through
an extruder, it may be single or twin-screw extruder, and since
extruder work with direct extrusion technique talk powder addedto
reduce friction, poly carbonate melted at 250°C so through group
of parallel heaters.
❑ The extruder used is German-made Werner which is twin screw
extruder which are capable of rotating between 146 rpm and 172
rpm the extruder has eleven zone polymer powder passes through
it to be in molten shape until it reaches to head of extruder (die), a
solid steel plate with 986 holes in it to form the molten powder into
ribbons

15. B- Pelletizing
After extruding molten ribbons pass through tank of water supplied
with water pump to cool these ribbons, after that cooled ribbons cut
with blades set at axis it may be 16, 20, 24 knifes, the pelletizer
rotates with 600 to 850 rpm.
C- Drying
For getting red of moisture poly carbonate pellets dried using a dryer
unit at 120°C, this process takes between 3 to 4 hours to be sure that
the pellets dried well.
D- Packaging
Finally, after drying process polymer pellets pass through streams
and by using open gate valve it put in silos to be packaged.

16. POLYCARBONATE
APPLICATIONS

17. ❑Electricals and Electronics
❑Construction materials
❑Medical application
❑Automotive
❑Face Shields

18. ❑Polycarbonate blends
Polycarbonate is blended with other polymers to enhance its properties
such as ABS, PBT, PET;
o PC/ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
In a compounded blend of polycarbonate and ABS, as he
polycarbonate contributions impact and heat resistance,
while the ABS contributions chemical stress resistance, and
cost reduction below polycarbonate
Uses
▪ Flash light
▪ Phones
▪ Safety helmets
▪ Laptop case

19. POLYCARBONATE
HANDLING & STORAGE

20. Polycarbonate Handling
❑Toxicity
✓ Polycarbonate is non-toxic as it manufactured mainly from Bis-phenolA which is
free of test and smell.
✓ just in case of manufacturing it using phosgination method the used phosgene is
toxic but after manufacturing process done there is no dangerous
❑Flammability
✓Incase of there’s ignition source, polycarbonate burns with sooty flame.
✓It extinguishes after ignition source is removed.
✓carbon di-oxide, carbon monoxide, phenol are very dangerous products if combustion
process occur so, the following safety tools must be put in consideration;
1-Skin: Fabric gloves are recommended when handling molten material.
2-Eye: Safety glasses are recommended for eye protection.
3-For fire fighting: full emergency equipment with self-contained breathing apparatus be
worn by fire fighters

21. Polycarbonate storage
Polycarbonate storing at SABIC company stores

22. POLYCARBONATE
MANUFACTURERS

23. oSabic.
oEPC Group.
oDOW.
oBayar.

24. THANKS FOR ATTENTION
Any Questions???