INTRODUCTION

SHINKOLITE is the registered tradename of Mitsubishi Rayon's cast acrylic sheet, consisting of SHINKOLITE L and PX type. SHINKOLITE L and PX is the tradename of continuous, cast acrylic sheet developed by Mitsubishi Rayon. SHINKOLITE has many excellent characteristics such as clarity transparency, beautiful color, light in weight, weatherability, impact resistance, and good formability. As it is the most gorgeous and magnificent in all of the plastics, it is used for lighting fixture, building material, furniture, industrial material, signboard, daily necessaries, and so on. This brochure is prepared to help SHINKOLITE customers design and fabricate SHINKOLITE for wide range of applications. SHINKOLITE has successfully passed the major standards listed below.

1. Flammability standard 94HB approved by Underwrites Laboratories Inc. 2. Uniform Building Code 5209 approved by International Conference of Building Officials. 3. Safety glazing material for motor vehicles, approved by Department of California Highway Patrol. 4. 1-1972, Safety grazing material used in buildings, approved by Safety Grazing Certification Council. 5. ANSI standard Z26.1-1977, Z26.1a-1980, and Z26.1-1983.

Characteristics of SHINKOLITE

Light in Weight

SHINKOLITE (specific gravity 1.19) is less than half of the weight of inorganic glass (specific gravity 2.5).

Water-Clear

Colorless SHINKOLITE is as clear as a rock crystal. Its light transmittance rate of 93 percent means that SHINKOLITE is the clearest material available in the market.

Weather-Resistance

SHINKOLITE has an extremely excellent resistance to sunlight, weather, and both high and low temperatures. Outdoor exposure test for all kinds of SHINKOLITE has been done both in a desert district of the U.S. and in MRC's laboratory.

Various Colors Available

A wide range of transparent colors as well as translucent colors are available. Surface of colored sheet has superior gloss. White translucent colors have a superior light diffusion effect, characteristics of which are made good use in lighting diffuser panel, sky-light-dome, sign board and so on.

Impact Resistance

SHINKOLITE has greater impact strength than glass. It is unbreakable and even in the case of breakage it will be safe because it doesn't become small pieces which fly off to the different directions like glass.

Easy Formability

Being a thermoplastic, SHINKOLITE becomes soft when heated, and hard when cooled. The thermal conductivity of SHINKOLITE is as small as that of phenolics and only one sixth of that of glass.

Surface Hardness

Generally speaking, the surface hardness of SHINKOLITE is almost the same as that of aluminum. It is harder than some of other plastics sheet but softer than glass. SHINKOLITE-A may be scratched due to abrasion.

Chemical Resistance

It is insolvent to inorganic chemicals and normal chained hydrocarbon, but contact with organic solvents causes dissolvent, swelling, hazing and cracking.

Characteristics of SHINKOLITE PX

SHINKOLITE PX is a crosslinked continuous cast acrylic sheet developed by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. SHINKOLITE PX is the most suitable of acrylic sheets used in sanitary wares such as bathtabs, modular showers, showertubs, whirlpool bath, and vanities. Acrylic sheets are well known for their excellent qualities in weatherability, durability, and beautiful gross; resulting in their superior uses for airplane canopies, signboard displays, building materials, etc.

In addition to the generally recognized qualities of acrylic sheets, SHINKOLITE PX has a wide heat-forming range. This allows for a broad range of thermoforming techniques to achieve superior results. Additionally, the technically-oriented thermal-former can achieve spectacular results in deep draws with more uniform thickness throughout the part. This can often be achieved by using a thinner sheet resulting in significant cost-savings to the user. SHINKOLITE PX is rapidly becoming known worldwide as an excellent, economically-feasible alternative to gel-coating surfaces when the user considers all the "extras" that a continuous cast acrylic sheet offers.

Furthermore, with our broad range of colors, you can get beautiful, color-coordinated acrylic sheets to blend perfectly with most of the commonly used ceramic ware in the industry. Customized colors, thickness, and sizes are also available with sufficient lead time. The technology of SHINKOLITE PX has resulted in a fiberglass-compatible product that gives good chemical resistance and a proven holding ability to polyester resins.