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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
Moulded acrylic is utilised for its clarity, hardness, and strength-to-weight. Applications include parts in lighting, furniture and automotive. Its inherent resistance to weathering means it is suitable for indoor and outdoor application.
Compared to other transparent moulded plastics, such as polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene (PS), acrylic is selected for its strength-to-weight, stiffness and surface hardness; PC has higher impact resistance; and PS is less strong but stiffer and so more brittle. Whereas PC and acrylic are typically around the same price, and PS is around half.
Extruded acrylic provides an alternative to cast acrylic sheet for lighting, signage and glazing. It is produced in large quantities and so typically less expensive, but available in fewer options and colours.
