Compared with glass, PMMA is 50% lighter, 90-92% clearer, more durable and more affordable. PMMA is scratch resistant, while glass tends to be fragile because it is usually easy to scratch and crack. When glass breaks, it will break into many sharp pieces. Sharp drill bits are both inconvenient and dangerous. However, acrylic is both scratch and drop resistant. It can maintain its performance for a long time, even when exposed to ultraviolet radiation and weather. Due to these reasons, many people use PMMA as a substitute for glass.

When and where was acrylic invented?

In 1928, many chemists invented acrylic acid in several different laboratories. Acrylic acid (PMMA) was first introduced to the market under the plexglass trademark by R ö hm&Haas AG and its partners Rohm and Haas in Germany in 1933.

What are the advantages of acrylic acid (PMMA)?

The advantages of poly methyl methacrylate are easy to manufacture, lighter and stronger than glass, easy to form, highly transparent, easy to clean and maintain. It is considered an economic substitute for glass.

When PMMA is heated, it becomes ductile and can be shaped into many different shapes. PMMA maintains its formed shape as it cools down and is processed, drilled, or sawed. After molding, molds can be made of wood or plastic, which is cost-effective. Because it is thermoplastic and softens at high temperatures, acrylic acid can form almost any shape.

Another advantage of using PMMA synthetic polymers instead of glass is that it is more durable and weighs 50% less than glass. Acrylic acid is cheaper, but its impact resistance is ten times that of glass. It can be used over a wide temperature range and has superior weather resistance compared to glass and other forms of plastic. In addition, it will not break under high impact, and if it does, it will break into large, blunt fragments.

Acrylic plastic remains transparent even after aging, without excessive yellow coloring. The ability to maintain transparency is essential for PMMA to be exposed to sunlight. Due to PMMA being more resistant to fading than other plastics, its transmittance is equivalent to glass and has the same aesthetic appearance.

There are some rules for the care and cleaning of acrylic acid, but it is an easy to maintain material. When cleaning acrylic resin with slight stains and dirt, it is recommended to use wet Microfiber cloth to dry the material. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the particles and gravel on the cleaning cloth are completely removed, as accidentally rubbing rough dirt on the material can cause further scratches on PMMA.