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Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)
3-8 usd/kg
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), acrylic, is a transparent plastic often compared to glass. Indeed, the two materials are used in many of the same applications – glazing, aquariums, household items, tableware and furniture, for example – with acrylic being lighter, more resistant to impact and easier to form into complex and intricate shapes. The disadvantages of acrylic, when compared to glass is that it is not inert (glass is virtually inert) and will crack and weaken if exposed to certain chemicals, it softens and melts at much lower temperatures (160 degC versus 1,700 degC for glass), and it is less scratch resistant.
As a transparent plastic, it is available in standard and custom colours, from muted tones through saturated fluorescents. Edge glow is the result of light passing through the surface and refracting internally until it meets a cut edge in tinted or semi-transparent materials. This phenomenon is utilised in signage, lighting and instrument panels, for example, that are made from acrylic. A cut edge may be the perimeter, or a score on the surface, such as made by laser cutting or engraving.
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Sustainability concerns
Non-renewable ingredients
Raw material generates polluting by-products
Low circularity potential
Microplastics
Mineral-filled acrylic is used as a worktop, countertop, kitchen counter and architectural surface material, and in sinks, bathtubs and sculpture, for example. It is marketed under brandnames such as Corian, Hanex (Hyundai L&C) and HI-MACS. Aluminium trihydrate is typically used as the mineral fill, at a dosage of 55-60%. This creates a stone-like feeling in the finished material. One of the major advantages, apart from the premium look and feel, is that it can be thermoformed (unlike unsaturated polyester, which is used in similar applications). It is manufactured as a continuous sheet material, with thicknesses ranging from 6-20 mm, or moulded in the final shape by resin injection. Items are produced as a single part or joined with adhesive – the seam can be almost invisible.
While the surface is glossy and easy to maintain, placing hot items on it can leave behind a mark (it is thermoplastic), and it is much less wear resistant that alternative surfaces, such as engineered quartz.
