Mechanisms of Protection

Korad® provides both UV and visible light protection along with long term gloss and color stability in signature colors like John Deere Green.

The UV Shielding thermoplastics from deleterious radiation is essential to the successful use of thermoplastic materials in weather related environments. Examination of transmittance spectrum of transparent Korad films (containing a high concentration of nonfugitive polymeric UV screener) reveals the ability of these films to completely shield the substrate onto which it is laminated from virtually all of the UV radiation impinging on the earth's surface. When no UV photons are available to interact with and disassociate the chemical bonds within the plastics matrix, the polymer will remain unperturbed and retain both its appearance and those properties otherwise diminished by UV attack.

An alternative approach is the use of pigmented Korad acrylic films as laminates over thermoplastic parts. In these cases, it is the physical presence of the saturation loading of inorganic pigments in the thin film, which shields the underlying substrate from all UV and visible radiation, while simultaneously providing its color. Since the inorganic pigments themselves are chosen from a time proven library of colorants which are extremely colorfast and the Korad acrylic matrix itself is transparent and non-yellowing, the color of the film is preserved better than any stabilized thermoplastic substrate. In addition, since the Korad film surface is resin rich - and not pigment rich - absolutely no chalking ever occurs. Not even after twenty years of exposure! No other polymer coextrusion or film can match this performance.

Since visible radiation also deteriorates some polymers, albeit at a far slower rate than UV radiation, the choice of whether to use clear or pigmented film should always be discussed with PEP technical personnel. PEP is always at your service to provide accelerated QUV testing of any substrate which is being contemplated for use beneath a transparent Korad film. This can then serve as additional guidance is assessing the overall stability of the envisioned composite laminate sheet.