Materials

The acrylic light bands are usually fabricated of the cast acrylic Aglas (PMMA - cast), the cast acrylic Aglas IRR (PMMA – IRR), the extruded acrylic (PMMA - XT), the full polycarbonate (PC), the combination of the cast and the extruded acrylic glass, the combination of the polycarbonate, and the cast or extruded acrylic.

Cast acrylic Aglas (PMMA)

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

• long life time in spite of the exposure to the extreme weather conditions,
• excellent UV protection and consequently prevention of colour altering (the cast acrylic Aglas is UV stabilized throughout the whole thickness, respectively, mass),
• in the case of fire there are no molten material dropping and the fire does not spread.

The acrylic light bands, made of the cast acrylic, provide the most favourable combination of the price of the acrylic light band, the choice of colours at one's option, and the life time of the light band.

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 acrylic light bands, fabricated of the Aglas IRR acrylic, compared to the acrylic light bands, made of the ordinary cast acrylic Aglas result from the reflection of the light spectrum IRR at the transmission of the light through the acrylic light bands:

• 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.

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 acrylic light bands, made of the extruded acrylic, is inferior to the quality of the acrylic light bands, 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.

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, toughness and hardness, however, its translucency is inferior to that of the acrylic, and its price is considerably higher. The performance properties of sky domes, 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 B2.

The combination of the cast and the extruded acrylic

The acrylic light bands, made of the combination of the cast and of the extruded acrylic, are fabricated thus that the exterior layer of the segment of acrylic light band, exposed to the weather conditions, is made of the cast acrylic Aglas and the inner layers are made of the extruded acrylic.

The combination of polycarbonate and the cast or extruded acrylic

The acrylic light bands, made of the combination of the cast and of the extruded acrylic, are fabricated thus that the exterior layer of the segment of acrylic light band, exposed to the weather conditions, is made of the cast acrylic Aglas and the inner layers are made of the extruded acrylic.

When the exterior layer of the band segment is made of the full polycarbonate, the light band has higher performance properties with regard to the exterior weather conditions due to the high performance of the polycarbonate (impacts, hail, etc.).

The principal aim of the combination of the exterior layer, made of the cast or extruded acrylic, and the inner layer of the solid polycarbonate, is the amelioration of the fire safety properties of the light band (such a light band can be classed in the B1 fire safety class).