Materials

The formed light panels Alux are usually made of: cast acrylic Aglas (PMMA - cast), cast acrylic Aglas IRR (PMMA – IRR), extruded acrylic (PMMA - XT), solid polycarbonate (PC).

Light panels, made of the cast acrylic Aglas (PMMA - cast)

The formed light panels Alux are most frequently fabricated of the cast acrylic Aglas, produced by Akripol. They are especially well-known for the following characteristics:

• they have a long life time in spite of the exposure to the extreme weather conditions,
• they have excellent UV protection and are consequently less yellowing (the cast acrylic Aglas is UV stabilized throughout the whole thickness, respectively, mass);
• In the case of fire the cast acrylic is not dropping and the fire does not spread.

The formed light panels Alux, made of the cast acrylic, provide the most favourable combination of the price of the light sheet, the choice of colours at one's option, and the life time of the light panel.

Light panels, made of the cast acrylic Aglas IRR (PMMA – IRR)

The Aglas IRR is a special kind of the cast acrylic Aglas, whose principal characteristics are the components, incorporated in its structure, having the capacity of the selective permeability of the visible part of the light on one hand, and the reflective capacity to thermal radiation (IR) on the other hand. The advantages of the light panels, fabricated of the Aglas IRR acrylic, compared to the light panels, made of the ordinary cast acrylic Aglas, result from the reflection of the light spectrum IRR at the transmission of the sky through the skylight:

• cost reduction of the heating of premises,
• cost reduction of the cooling (air-conditioning) of premises,
• increased comfort for the users of the room.

The acrylic sheets with the similar effect, produced by the majority of the competitive producers, contain the components with the reflective capacity to the light radiation, incorporated only on the exterior surface, while the components, reflecting the light radiation, contained in the Aglas IRR, are incorporated in the material throughout the entire thickness, respectively the mass of the material. The acrylic sheets Aglas IRR are fabricated only in the opal colour.

The comparison of the heat rating of the standard opal sheets Aglas 011 and Aglas IRR:

The comparison of the optical characteristics of the sheets Aglas IRR and Aglas 011:

Light panels, made of the extruded acrylic (PMMA - XT)

Compared to the cast acrylic Aglas the chemical and physical properties of the extruded acrylic are substantially inferior to those of the cast acrylic. Owing to the poorer properties of the basic material, the quality of the formed light panels, made of the extruded acrylic, is inferior to the quality of the formed light panels, made of the cast acrylic Aglas, and their life time is shorter, too. Likewise, in the case of fire the behaviour of the cast acrylic and of the extruded acrylic differs considerably – the extruded acrylic loses its toughness very quickly, becomes ragged, melts, and may be dropping during burning, while the cast acrylic becomes rubbery during burning, contracts, however, there is no dropping and spreading of fire over the place.

Light panels, made of the solid polycarbonate (PC)

The polycarbonate is a thermoplastic, fabricated by the process of extrusion. In appearance it resembles to acrylic. Compared to the acrylic it has better performance properties in regard of the impact strength, higher toughness and hardness. However, its translucency is inferior to that of the acrylic, and its price is considerably higher than that of the acrylic, too. The performance properties of the formed light panels, made of polycarbonate, are better also in the case of fire: the polycarbonate is classed in the combustibility class B1, while the acrylic is put in the B2.