Polycarbonate Performance Characteristics Drive Application Upgrading, New Energy & Medical Fields Become Growth Engines

As one of the five major general engineering plastics, polycarbonate (PC) is the only thermoplastic material with high transparency and high impact resistance. Featuring light transmittance of 87%-91%, high impact strength, weather resistance, flame retardancy and excellent electrical insulation, PC continues to expand high-end application scenarios. Since the second half of 2025, downstream industries have raised higher requirements for PC performance, promoting product structure to shift toward high value-added sectors.

In the new energy vehicle sector, PC applications have expanded from traditional car lamps and skylights to battery shell covers, B-pillar decorative panels, intelligent cockpit panels and charging pile housings. Statistics show that the PC consumption per new energy vehicle in China reached 12.6 kilograms in 2025, and is expected to rise to 14.1 kilograms in 2026, driving the demand for modified automotive PC to grow at an annual rate of over 18%. With high light transmittance and yellowing resistance, optical-grade PC has become a core substrate for vehicle lenses and head-up displays.

Demand in the medical and optical industries has grown rapidly. Medical-grade PC is widely used in syringes, surgical instrument shells and monitor panels due to its non-toxicity, sterilization resistance and stable dimensional performance. The global output proportion of domestic OLED panels has risen to 63.5%, boosting the demand for PC-based flexible cover plates and backlight module brackets. In addition, emerging sectors including low-altitude economy, security glass and photovoltaic backsheets keep releasing demand for high-strength lightweight PC sheets. Industry experts pointed out that the core competition of PC enterprises in the future lies in modification technology and stable mass production capacity, and manufacturers with high-end grade supply capacity will gain higher premium and market share.