If we can do plasma deposition for cheap mirror reflective sunglasses with polycarbonate, why aren’t these materials commonly used?
If we can do plasma deposition for cheap mirror reflective sunglasses with polycarbonate, why aren’t these materials commonly used?
They are used for cheap mirrors such as some parabolic makeup mirrors, cheap reflectors for looking around corners, etc. Polycarbonate and acrylic mirrors are available, but offer much worse optical properties. They cant be as easily polished so you will have to cast them into a mould. Their low stiffness means they are easily distorted. Thermal expansion significantly affects focusing and distortion of optical systems.