Poly(methyl methacrylate)
Transparent thermoplastic, commonly called acrylic / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the transparent plastic sometimes called acrylic glass. For the glass/plastic laminate often called "safety glass", see Laminated glass. For the neurotoxic designer drug PMMA, see para-Methoxy-N-methylamphetamine. For other uses, see Acrylic (disambiguation).
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is the synthetic polymer derived from methyl methacrylate. It is used as an engineering plastic, and it is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Hesalite, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Lucite, and Perspex, among several others (see below). This plastic is often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It can also be used as a casting resin, in inks and coatings, and for many other purposes.
Quick Facts Names, Identifiers ...
Names | |
---|---|
IUPAC name
Poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate) | |
Other names
| |
Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
ChemSpider |
|
ECHA InfoCard | 100.112.313 |
KEGG |
|
UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
Properties | |
(C5H8O2)n | |
Molar mass | Varies |
Density | 1.18 g/cm3[1] |
−9.06×10−6 (SI, 22 °C)[2] | |
Refractive index (nD) |
1.4905 at 589.3 nm[3] |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
|
Close
It is often technically classified as a type of glass, in that it is a non-crystalline vitreous substance—hence its occasional historic designation as acrylic glass.