Sabic
Innovative Plastics is currently testing optical-quality grades of its Noryl compound as a potential replacement for the polycarbonate
used in Blu-ray Discs. According to Design News, Noryl
could reduce the costs of Blu-ray discs as it does not need the moisture-barrier layer or lacquer coating required for
polycarbonate.
“With DVDs, the laser is reading through a substrate, so the material has to be transparent,” says Harley.
“You can use an opaque material, or any color you want, with a Blu-ray disc.” The cover layer in DVDs typically consists of expensive
solvent-casted polycarbonate film that is about 100 microns thick and is bonded with an adhesive to the substrate.
Noryl offers
the opportunity to reduce costs for discs. For example, Noryl will not require a moisture-barrier layer and lacquer coating as required
for polycarbonate. Because of its superior dimensional stability, a less complicated molding process leads to a higher yield
rate.
If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here.
