How Are Acrylic Coloured Sheets Manufactured And Their Applications?

Acrylic Colored | Image Resource: caohungphat.com

Acrylic also called PMMA is a synthetic polymer that is derived from methyl methacrylate. It is an engineering plastic and is a transparent thermoplastic. It is used as an alternative to glass as it is lightweight and shatter-resistant. It is also called acrylic glass.

Acrylic is usually not sold in its pure form usually it is optimised as per the applications. Additives, fillers and comonomers are added to it if the application requires them. Dyes can be added to it to get Acrylic colored sheets required for decorative applications or to protect against UV rays.

Acrylic is much stronger than glass and has half the weight of glass. All the moulding processes can be used to make acrylic products. It is environmentally friendly and can be fully recycled. It is food safe thus making it a popular choice for food packaging and household uses.

Acrylic is easy to fabricate, bend and glue and does not require the use of special tools. It is a versatile material and is used in many applications.

Manufacturing acrylic

The two main manufacturing processes used are as follows:

Cell cast acrylic

This traditional process is used to manufacture high-quality acrylic sheets with high strength and top-grade technical properties. In this process, a liquid monomer is poured over two flat sheets of toughened glass and sealed with a rubber gasket. It is then heated for polymerisation. The sheet made using this process may not have a uniform thickness. However, this method is still used where strength is critical.

Extruded acrylic

This process can be used to make sheets that have enhanced vacuum formability and can be used to make complex shapes. Acrylic made using this process is thermally less stable and tends to melt and clog tools and does not provide a good surface finish.

Applications of acrylic

• Acrylic is popularly used in the field of retail and point of purchase and displays. Due to its transparency and high break resistance, it is used in exhibition displays. In such cases, glass cannot be used.
• Acrylic sheets are used in rear projection screens where semi-transparent displays are illuminated. It can be used to create spherical displays.
• Acrylic paint consists of acrylic suspended in water, because Acrylic is hydrophobic additional substances are required to facilitate the suspension.
• PMMA is commonly used in modern dentistry, especially for dental prosthetics, artificial teeth and orthodontic applications. It is the material of choice for making artificial teeth. This is because PMMA has properties like control of aesthetics, easy surface adjustments, decreased risk of breaking and minimum wear.
• It is used as a substitute for glass in making picture frames. It offers benefits like low cost, lightweight and shatter-resistance. It can be made in large sizes and can be used for aesthetics.