Poly(methyl methacrylate)

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)
Names
IUPAC name
Poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate)
Other names
  • Poly(methyl methacrylate)
  • PMMA
  • Methyl methacrylate resin
  • Perspex
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
  • None
ECHA InfoCard 100.112.313 Edit this at Wikidata
KEGG
UNII
  • CCC(C)(C(=O)OC)CC(C)(C(=O)OC)CC(C)(C(=O)OC)CC(C)(C(=O)OC)CC(C)(C(=O)OC)C
Properties
(C5H8O2)n
Molar mass Varies
Density 1.18 g/cm3[1]
−9.06×10−6 (SI, 22 °C)[2]
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).
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Lichtenberg figure: high-voltage dielectric breakdown in an acrylic polymer block

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.

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.

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  2. ^ Wapler, M. C.; Leupold, J.; Dragonu, I.; von Elverfeldt, D.; Zaitsev, M.; Wallrabe, U. (2014). "Magnetic properties of materials for MR engineering, micro-MR and beyond". JMR. 242 (2014): 233–242. arXiv:1403.4760. Bibcode:2014JMagR.242..233W. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2014.02.005. PMID 24705364. S2CID 11545416.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference refr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).