Plastics take to the podium at Sochi

The medals awarded to winners at the recent Sochi Winter Olympics were made using a combination of metal and durable polycarbonate (PC) sheet from Sabic’s Innovative Plastics business.

Craftsmen at the Moscow-based Adamas Jewellery Plant made the medals using Lexan Margard sheet in the core so that they could design an intricate representation of the landscape of Sochi where the event was held.

Each medal took up to 18 hours to create, using an assortment of design and technology processes. The Lexan Margard sheet was cut using a tool with incoming cold air to reduce deformation, resulting in a ‘crystal-like’ appearance.

Lexan Margard sheet is 50 percent lighter than glass and has 250 times the impact resistance of glass and 30 times that of acrylic — Sabic claims that it is “virtually unbreakable”. The sheet also displays weather performance characteristics and maintains its transparency over time.

Adamas, the official supplier to this year’s event and a major jeweller in Russia, manufactured 1,300 medals. Organisers said the design reflects the “eternal values of Russia” and also the “innovative approach to the games”.