Acrylic, also known as plexiglass, chemical name is polymethylmethacrylate. The light  transmittance of acrylic is similar to that of glass, so it is widely used in lighting products. Acrylic has a high transparency, clear vision, can reach more than 92% of the transmittance, reaching the transparency of optical glass. Polycarbonate, which refers to as PC. PC is a kind of amorphous, odorless, nontoxic, highly transparent colorless or yellowish thermoplastic engineering plastics, which has excellent physical and mechanical properties, especially excellent impact resistance. The lampshade made of PC has high tensile strength, stable size, good heat resistance and low temperature resistance.

Acrylic and plastics are widely used in lighting field. Acrylic or plastic lampshade is made by injection molding or extrusion.

Acrylic and plastic have differences in physical performance, so each of the finished products have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of acrylic lampshade:

1. Color diversity.

The three common colors of Acrylic lampshade are transparent, frosted and milky white, in addition to these three colors, people can get other colors by adding toner to acrylic materials. High quality Acrylic lampshade has long-lasting color and the life span can last 8 to10 years.

2. High transparency

Acrylic is known as plexiglass. The light transmittance of the lampshade made of acrylic is as high as 92%, with excellent light transmission and the lighting effect is very soft.

3. Weather ability

Excellent weather resistance, acrylic has strong adaptability to natural environment. Even long time sunlight exposure, strong wind and raining weather will not change its physical performance, and it also has good anti-aging performance and can also be used safely outside.

Disadvantages of acrylic lampshade:

1. Acrylic material has high hardness and poor toughness. The lampshade made of acrylic is brittle and easy to break under the action of external force.

2. Acrylic has low melting point, incapable of high temperature, with temperature of 70 degrees it is easy to soften.

3. Acrylic materials do not have flame retardancy, so acrylic lampshade is very easy to burn in the case of fire.

Compared with acrylic, plastic is also widely used in lighting field. The lampshade made by injection molding or extrusion has the following advantages:

2. Impact resistant, high strength

For the same thickness acrylic lampshade and plastic lampshade, the impact strength of plastic lampshade is 30-50 times than that of acrylic lampshade, and the plastic lampshade has strong toughness and is not easily to be damaged.

3. Fire retardant

The plastic itself has flame retardancy, and it has UL94 V0 flame retardancy without adding additives. Therefore, the plastic lampshade is fire-resistant and not easy to burn.

4. Heat resistant, temperature resistant, weather resistant

The temperature range of plastic lampshade is from minus 60 ℃ to 120 ℃. It is aging resistant and has ultraviolet function. Good adaptability to climate. For out door squares and parks, plastic lampshade are good choice.