Development of Novel Glass-Polycarbonate Composite Panels

The Department of Structural Engineering is collaborating with Fotoverbundglas Marl GmbH to develop innovative composite panels made of glass and polycarbonate. Compared to conventional laminated safety glass, this new manufacturing process and the use of perfectly matched materials make it possible to enhance the performance of the composite panels.

The structure of the glass-polycarbonate composite panels consists of at least two outer glass panels and one inner polycarbonate panel, which are bonded together over their entire surface via thermoplastic interlayers. An innovative lamination process bonds the individual layers under pressure and heat, resulting in very high adhesive and shear strength.

These very thin and lightweight laminated panels offer high robustness and significant redundancy despite their low cross-sectional thickness. In addition to the applications of conventional laminated safety glass, these laminated panels are particularly well-suited for use in specialized safety glazing applications.