Tritan™ – the future-oriented plastic

Tritan™ is an amorphous, colourless copolyester. It has better temperature resistance and better mechanical properties than PETG. The chemical resistance of Tritan™ is high. It is suitable for contact with oil, grease, gasoline, alcohol, cleaning agents and has excellent resistance to skin oils.

 

Advantages

• Good printability (offset and screen printing)

• Easy lamination: Layers combine without adhesives

• High dynamic bending stress for a card lifetime of 10 years

• High temperature resistance

• High chemical resistance

• Allows hybrid constructions with PETG, Teslin, PVC and others

• Excellent price-performance ratio

The material properties of Tritan™ are defined individually and in their interaction offer a new level of performance.

Disadvantages

Personalisation by laser is currently not as good as with PC.

Application

Bank cards, travel cards, health cards, identity cards, data pages

PETG – the successful plastic

Polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) is an amorphous plastic material of the polyester family. PETG is processed in many forms and used in various ways such as plastic bottles, textile fibres and films. It is sturdy, break-proof and as chemically resistant as polycarbonate, but has a lower softening temperature.

 

Advantages

• Good printability (offset and screen printing)

• Easy lamination: Layers combine without adhesives

• Dynamic bending stress for a card lifetime of five years
  
  

Disadvantages

• Moderate temperature resistance

Application
Customer cards, bank cards, ID cards

PC – the conventional plastic

Polycarbonates (PC) are polymers from the polyester family, namely carbonic acid and diols. PC's are crystal clear, can be dyed, fused and glued, they are also very dimensionally stable and have a high resistance to impact. They contain the hormone-active substances bisphenol A and S.

 

Advantages

• Good printability (offset and screen printing)

• Excellent personalisation using laser printing

• Easy lamination: Layers combine without adhesives

• High temperature resistance

• Up to 10 years card lifetime but with average dynamic bending stress

 

Disadvantages

• Susceptible to stress corrosion cracking: aromatic solvents, esters and ketones can cause cracks

• High price

• High laminating temperature

• Contains the hormone-active substances bisphenol A and S.

 

Application
Identity cards, data pages

PLA – the green bioplastic

Biobased plastics such as polylactic acid (polylactic acid, PLA) are made from renewable, vegetable raw materials and safeguard resources. They are biodegradable. The environment is not harmed.

 

Advantages

• Renewable raw material

• Transparent material

• Biodegradable to biomass

 

Disadvantages

• Moderate temperature resistance

• Moderate dynamic bending stress

 

Application
Customer cards, prepaid cards, bank cards