What Material is Best for You?

Knowing Your Material

By: Galen Patterson

Silicone / PC hybrid case

Have you ever wondered what your cell phone case is made out of? Knowing your material can make or break your phone sometimes, especially those of us with high-risk workplaces. Why not educate yourself?

Silicone 

Silicone is a well trusted branch of chemistry that is used in more applications than I can count. Its
rubbery makeup creates a seal which is water-resistant. However, the open areas around the charging port and speakers will obviously not be protected from submersion. With one of these skins attached, consider the phone ‘splash’ resistant. It’s soft, smooth and according to dowcorning.com, silicone combines the better qualities of glass and plastics. It is somewhat abrasion resistant and provides a well needed cushion for the device when it is dropped. For a practical application, consider the thought of falling over in a giant, stuffed sumo suit, versus falling over in full metal-plated armor.

Polycarbonate

This is a fantastic plastic shell for your phone, good for scratches and minor bumps. Polycarbonate, or PC, cases are made up of a very common and useful polymer. There’s also a brief step in the process of its production where bisphenol A is added to phosgene, an interesting chemical used as a weapon in World War I, or The Great War, for you European readers. Variations of this plastic are used to make ultra-light eyeglass lenses, in addition to so much more, according to the Polymer Science Learning Center. These are solid, well-fitted cases meant to take as much as they give.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane

These cases are great! Thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, appears to take the flexibility and shock-
resistance of silicone and add to the stiff protection of polycarbonate to give you a case you can count on. This unique plastic has also been made into side moldings for cars, medical tubing, swim fins, and goggles. Simply put, they’re trusty cases. They are also abrasion-resistant, according to the American Chemistry Council, meaning they won’t easily be scratched. Something I find quite valuable.

Hybrid

Hybrid cases can be diverse. For example, you can get TPU mixed with PC or Silicone, but the most common I've seen is the PC/Silicone hybrid. This concept has been adopted by Otter Box and Pelican. The idea is that you get the best of both without losing anything really. They come in various designs as well. The two most popular being a PC shell with a Silicone skin around it, and Silicone skin with a PC Shell around it. Personally I like the 2nd option. Don’t get me wrong, the silicone on the outside is a shock-absorber meant to soften the blow, but there’s something about the idea of having a soft cushion on the inside of plated armor that seems to make falling down a bit more graceful and less gut wrenching. Another major perk is that the PC exterior allows the phone to slip easily in and out of a pocket instead of grappling with friction the whole way.

So in conclusion, if skinny jeans are in, and half-dangling your phone out of your back pocket is in, then the choice is yours: slide out easy, or stay put until I really want to see you?