Which material is more durable for LED lamp shade?

When comparing the durability of LED lamp shade materials, PC (polycarbonate) is generally considered to be more durable than PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate, also known as acrylic). The following is a detailed analysis of the durability of these two materials:

Impact resistance

PC: PC material has excellent impact resistance, and its bending impact strength is significantly higher than that of glass and PMMA. In actual impact tests, PC’s performance even surpassed PMMA by 10 times and glass by 30 times. This means that PC lamp shades are less likely to break or damage when impacted by external forces.
PMMA: Although PMMA also has a certain impact resistance, it is inferior to PC in comparison. PMMA lamp shades are more likely to break when subjected to greater impact forces.

Heat resistance

PC: PC material can be used continuously at temperatures up to 130°C, showing its excellent high-temperature stability. This means that in high-temperature environments, PC lam pshades can maintain their shape and performance stability and are not prone to deformation or aging.
PMMA: PMMA has relatively poor heat resistance, and its heat deformation temperature is generally around 90°C. In high temperature environments, PMMA lamp shades may deform or age, affecting their service life and performance.

Weather resistance

PC: PC materials also have good weather resistance and can resist erosion by natural factors such as ultraviolet rays, wind and rain. This allows PC lampshades to maintain their performance and appearance in outdoor environments.
PMMA: Although PMMA also has certain weather resistance, it is slightly inferior to PC. After long-term exposure to outdoor environments, PMMA lampshades may yellow or age.

Comprehensive durability

PC: Because PC materials perform well in impact resistance, heat resistance and weather resistance, their comprehensive durability is better than PMMA. This allows PC lampshades to maintain their performance and appearance during long-term use, reducing the frequency of replacement and repair.
PMMA: Although PMMA lampshades also have advantages in some aspects (such as high transparency), they are slightly inferior to PC in terms of comprehensive durability.

In summary, from the perspective of durability, PC materials are more suitable for LED lamp shade. However, other factors need to be considered when selecting materials, such as cost, processing difficulty, appearance, etc. Therefore, in specific applications, comprehensive consideration and selection must be made based on actual needs.