POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE 

 

For: Preliminary

Topics covered:

• What is polymethyl methacrylate?
• What are its advantages and properties?

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News Flash

The government has banned the import of a synthetic resin, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), with effect from September 1, 2019.

• PMMA is a shatterproof replacement for glass.

 

Highlights

• Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) cleared that the import policy of polymethyl methacrylate is revised from free to prohibited from September 1.
• DGFT is an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with export- and import-related policies.

 

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)

• Polymethyl methacrylate  (PMMA) is a strong, tough, and lightweight material.
• PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, or plexiglass.
• Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Lucite, and Perspex among several others is a transparent thermoplastic.
• PMMA is often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass.
• The same material can be used as a casting resin, in inks and coatings, and has many other uses.

 

 

Advantages

• PMMA is an economical alternative to polycarbonate (PC) when tensile strength, flexural strength, transparency, polishability, and UV tolerance are more important than impact strength, chemical resistance and heat resistance.
• PMMA does not contain the potentially harmful bisphenol-A subunits found in polycarbonate.
• It is often preferred because of its moderate properties, easy handling and processing, and low cost.

 

Properties

• Polymethyl methacrylate has good impact strength, higher than both glass and polystyrene.
• PMMA ignites at 460 °C (860 °F) and burns, forming carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide and low-molecular-weight compounds, including formaldehyde.
• PMMA transmits up to 92% of visible light.
• It filters ultraviolet (UV) light at wavelengths below about 300 nm.
• PMMA passes infrared light of up to 2,800 nm and blocks IR of longer wavelengths up to 25,000 nm.
• Colored PMMA varieties allow specific IR wavelengths to pass while blocking visible light (for remote control or heat sensor applications, for example).
• PMMA swells and dissolves in many organic solvents.

 

Source: BS

 

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