Polycarbonates are thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. They are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. In addition, they are easily worked, molded and thermoformed, and because of these properties, polycarbonates can be used in many applications. 

Polycarbonates are becoming increasingly important and popular as an environmentally friendly (recyclable) polymer. The global demand for polycarbonates was estimated at 4.6 million tonnes in 2019, and it is forecasted to increase to 5.5 million tonnes by 2024. This growth in demand is creating opportunities for technologies that enable increases in production capacity.