Polycarbonate Vs Acrylic?

[apexkeeper]

Are there any disadvantages (besides cost) to using polycarbonate (lexan) instead of acrylic for making internal overflow boxes and sump baffles?

The reason I ask is because I can bend polycarbonate into a box for an overflow or complex sump baffles from a single piece extremely easily with my brake instead of needing to heat or glue individual pieces of acrylic together. Plus... I already have quite a few sheets of poly at my shop.

Thoughts?

 

[sleepydoc]

polycarbonate will yellow with time under UV exposure and (i believe) will not absorb as much water as acrylic. For sump baffles it shouldn't matter.

 

[apexkeeper]

The sheets I have are black so the yellowing wouldn't be a concern. More worried about whether saltwater will degrade it, or it will leech anything harmful?

 

[tgn225]

Which material s stronger?

 

[apexkeeper]

Polycarbonate is stupid stronger than acrylic... You could spend all day trying to break 1/4" poly with anything less than a gun. The stuff I have is leftover from a job building protection guards for massive punch presses.