While the form may be the same you will find that a clear polycarbonate sheet and a clear acrylic sheet are vastly different due to the physical and chemical properties of the plastic.
Acrylic sheet melting point.
The chemical name of plexiglass is polymethyl methacrylate also known as methacrylic acid.
This non melting polyimide can withstand repeated heating up to 300 c without altering its thermal or mechanical properties making it a popular choice for jet engines industrial machinery cars trucks and other vehicles.
For common commercial grades of medium and high density polyethylene the melting point is typically in the range 120 to 130 c 248 to 266 f.
Due to its malleability and low melting point this acrylic is better suited to laser cutting routing and polishing as well as cementing and thermoforming.
Thermoplastic materials become liquid at their melting point 160 degrees celsius in the case of acrylic.
The melting point for average commercial low density polyethylene is typically 105 to 115 c 221 to 239 f.
Thermoplastics become liquid at their melting point 320 f 160 c so they can be heated to this temperature cooled and reheated again without significant degradation.
These temperatures vary strongly with the type of polyethylene.
These acrylic sheets.
Extruded acrylic is also less susceptible to dirt lint or particulate contamination in the production process.
In 1931 the united states began manufacturing acrylic resin to coat industrial machines and glass binders.
The reason this works is because acrylic plastic actually melts at 405 f.
Poly methyl methacrylate pmma also known as acrylic acrylic glass or plexiglass as well as by the trade names crylux plexiglas acrylite astariglas lucite perclax and perspex among several others see below is a transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter resistant alternative to glass the same material can be used as a casting resin or in inks.
Five years later this resin was formed into a transparent sheet and the acrylic era began.
I baked it at 180 celsius 350 f for about 12min.
Fyi tonight i oven bent 10mm acrylic.
A major useful attribute about thermoplastics is that theycan be heated to their melting point cooled and reheated again without significant degradation.
I haven t tried but someone else can try to actually melt plastic waste pieces to see if they will join and pour or flow into tighter molds.