polyacrylics


polyacrylics

(pŏl'ēəkrĭl`ĭks), group of thermoplastics that are transparent and highly decorative (see plasticplastic,
any organic material with the ability to flow into a desired shape when heat and pressure are applied to it and to retain the shape when they are withdrawn. Composition and Types of Plastic
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). The polyacrylics, or acrylic plastics, are polymerspolymer
, chemical compound with high molecular weight consisting of a number of structural units linked together by covalent bonds (see chemical bond). The simple molecules that may become structural units are themselves called monomers; two monomers combine to form a dimer,
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 (and copolymers) of derivatives of acrylic acid, H2C=CH-COOH. The best-known acrylic plastic, sold under the trade names Plexiglas and Lucite, is polymethyl methacrylate. It takes a high polish, is clear and colorless, and is transparent to visible and ultraviolet light. Since it is a thermoplastic, it can be shaped while hot to form a number of objects, such as windshields for airplanes and transparent ornamental objects. Other esters of acrylic acid and methylacrylic acid similarly polymerize and copolymerize to transparent thermoplastics, differing somewhat in hardness and in softening temperatures.