Piedmont Plastics offers a complete selection of high-performance plastics used in countless applications for various industries. It’s a preferred material for engineers, designers, machine shops, and fabricators. High-performance plastics are designed to possess higher requirements than most other plastics and are sometimes referred to as high-temperature plastics, high-performance polymers, high-performance thermoplastics, or high-tech plastics.

High-performance plastics are defined by their thermal stability at high temperatures, superior chemical resistance, and ability to be strengthened with modifiers for increased performance.

Some examples of Piedmont’s hard plastic sheet inventory include industry-leading materials such as Acetate, acrylic, nylon, polysulfone, PET, PBT, PEEK, polyimide, Surlyn®, Proflex®, TPX®, PPS, Torlon®, Celazole®, Orkot®, Ultem®, Fluorosint®, Semitron®, Noryl®, and Kynar® PVDF.

What Type of Plastic Is the Hardiest?

One of the industry’s strongest, most durable, and most chemically resistant plastic sheet is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This material also features excellent UV resistance—withstanding prolonged exposure to the sun without the need for UV additives. High-density polyethylene has a density of 95, and its strength comes from its tight cell structure, making it very difficult for other molecules to pass through.

Thickness options for HDPE commonly range from 12 mils to 100 mills and can be easily seamed or “stitched” together for large-scale applications. In addition, due to its chemical-resistant properties, HDPE is used as secondary containment liners for oil tanks, industrial ponds, and canal liners.

What Is the Strongest Clear Plastic Sheet?

The two most common forms of transparent plastic sheet are acrylic and polycarbonate. While acrylic has a lot to offer manufacturers and customers, polycarbonate comes out on top in terms of overall strength.

General-purpose polycarbonate is about 200 times stronger than glass and polyethylene. Compared to other market materials, polycarbonate sheet displays a higher relative impact strength than acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and acrylic.

Polycarbonate can be pressure-formed, is pretty much unbreakable, and is half the weight of glass. In addition, it boasts high clarity and light transmission, has excellent flame resistance, and is easy to machine, handle, and install.

What Is the Lightest Type of Plastic?

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a soft, flexible, lightweight plastic material. It’s a rugged, durable option for manufacturers with low-temperature flexibility and excellent corrosion resistance. While unsuitable for applications requiring rigidity, high-temperature resistance, and structural strength, LDPE is popular for plastic bottles, tubing, computer components, and laboratory equipment. In addition, it’s chemically and impact-resistant.

The low weight of LDPE can also be an essential factor in some design decisions for cost-efficiency when shipping or for ease of handling.

Popular Types of Hard Plastic Sheet

There exists a wide variety of rigid plastic sheet available. They cover a large array of applications, and each has its own unique strengths and advantages. Here is a list of some of the most popular types of hard plastic sheet available.

• Acetal – A high-strength engineering plastic with minimal friction and good wear characteristics.
• Acrylic – A strong, stiff, clear plastic that comes in a wide range of vibrant colors and finishes.
• G10/FR-4 Glass Epoxy – Glass/epoxy composite material with superior electrical characteristics.
• GPO-3 Thermoset – A glass-reinforced thermoset polyester with outstanding mechanical and electrical qualities.
• High Impact Polystyrene (HIP) – A low-cost, durable plastic that is simple to thermoform and produce.
• LE Linen Phenolic – A composite sheet material made of layers of linen fabric impregnated with electrical grade phenolic resin.
• Noryl® – A high-strength, high-stiffness engineering plastic with excellent electrical insulating qualities.
• Nylon – A tough, versatile technical plastic frequently used to replace metal bearings and bushings.
• PAI – A strong, stiff, and dimensionally stable plastic polymer commonly utilized in high-temperature situations.
• PBT – A strong, stiff plastic with good machining, bearing and wear properties, and chemical resistance.
• PEEK – A strong, rigid plastic with excellent chemical resistance that functions well across a wide temperature range.
• PET – A robust, dimensionally stable plastic with excellent chemical and wear resistance.
• PETG – A transparent plastic sheet with excellent impact resistance and thermoforming properties.
• Polycarbonate – A clear, robust, and stiff thermoplastic with excellent impact resistance.
• Polyimide – A high-temperature creep-resistant material with good friction and wear properties.

Hard Plastic Sheet at Piedmont Plastics

Whether you need material for prototyping or cut-to-size for a specific application, Piedmont has a large inventory of hard plastics available for prompt shipment.

Contact one of our materials experts for more information on high-performance plastics and how they can help your manufacturing project.