Accelerated High-end Transformation, Domestic Substitution of Optical & Medical-grade PC Achieves Breakthrough

The high-end transformation of China’s polycarbonate industry has advanced rapidly in April 2026. Major domestic manufacturers have made key technological breakthroughs in optical-grade, medical-grade and high-flame-retardant modified PC, realizing stable mass supply and ushering in a critical period of domestic substitution.

High-end PC products require extremely strict production standards. Optical-grade PC needs high purity, high light transmittance and anti-yellowing performance for AR/VR devices and high-end optical accessories. Medical-grade PC is featured with biocompatibility, high-temperature sterilization resistance and non-toxicity, widely used in disposable medical supplies and intelligent medical equipment. High-performance flame-retardant PC is essential for new energy energy storage, charging piles and data center equipment. Through polymerization optimization and modified upgrading technologies, domestic brands have narrowed the performance gap with international high-end products and broken the long-term overseas monopoly.

Downstream high-end industries bring broad market prospects for customized PC materials. The booming development of AR/VR optics and new display industries drives the demand for optical PC; the localization of medical equipment and home health care consumption boost the medical-grade PC market. At present, the import dependence of China’s high-end PC materials remains high, with enormous market space for domestic substitution. In the next few years, technological innovation and cost optimization will further enhance the competitiveness of domestic high-end PC. It will become the highest value-added sector of the whole industry, and promote the transformation and upgrading of China’s polycarbonate industry from large-scale production to high-quality development.