History of Polycarbonate Polymers

The discovery of Polycarbonate dates back to 1898 when Alfred Einhorn, a German chemist, observed the formation of an insoluble, infusible solid, while endeavouring to prepare cyclic carbonates by reacting hydroquinone with phosgene.

In 1953, polycarbonate was discovered independently by Dr. H. Schnell of Bayer AG, Germany and by D. W. Fox of General Electric Company, USA. In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a GE (General Electric) scientist, Daniel W. Fox inadvertently discovered PC while working on a wire-coating material. He synthesized a branched polycarbonate. That marked the beginning of Lexan polycarbonate. In Uerdingen, Germany, Dr. Hermann Schnell discovered polycarbonate at Bayer's main lab at a time when the company was searching for ways to advance its technology. Schnell's find marked the start of the company's Makrolon polycarbonate.
Both companies filed for U.S. patents in 1955. Bayer began commercial production under the trade name Makrolon in 1958 and GE began production under the name Lexan in 1960. In 1960, it found its use in emergency vehicles, such as police, fire and ambulance vehicles as "bubble lights".
In 1970, it began being used for astronaut helmet visors and space shuttle windshields.    In 1971, the cognac-colored tint of polycarbonate is eliminated. The new material is clear as glass, allowing natural daylight to flood into rooms. In 1982, the first audio-CD was introduced to the market, quickly replacing audio tapes which was made from polycarbonate. In 1987, use of polycarbonate for a variety of medical devices, including blood oxygenators, blood reservoirs, blood filters and kidney dialysis cartridges began.
In 2010, polycarbonate grades for furniture are introduced. To this day, Bayer and GE continues developing solutions that improve the quality and ease of our lives through innovation and the realization of dreams.