Acrylic: Difference between revisions

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(Added some more information)
(Added some more information)
 
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**Doesn'thave the hydrolysis issues of [[PET]]
**Doesn'thave the hydrolysis issues of [[PET]]
*Altogether GREAT material
*Altogether GREAT material
*It is a plastic, but supposedly some organisms may be evolving to break it down:
**From wikipedia:
***The Futuro house was made of fibreglass-reinforced polyester plastic, polyester-polyurethane, and poly(methylmethacrylate); one of them was found to be degrading by cyanobacteria and Archaea


=Sourcing=
=Sourcing=
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=Notes=
=Notes=
*You can get 1/32" polycarbonate, 4x8 sheets, at about $70. This is about $2/sf. Would need appropriate structural support, but otherwise it's pretty much indestructible.
*You can get 1/32" polycarbonate, 4x8 sheets, at about $70. This is about $2/sf. Would need appropriate structural support, but otherwise it's pretty much indestructible.
=Production=
*Varying methods
*The main route seems to be [[Methyl methacrylate]] + A [[Polymerization Catalyst]] such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)
**This is mainly done for "casting" the artificial "resin", but could perhaps be done in a reactor for producing solid string-ey product, for further refining into FDM Filament or Plastic Pellets
*The "easiest" to do seems to be the various "Methyl propionate routes"
**Uses  carboalkoxylation of ethylene to produce methyl propionate (MeP)
**Followed by  the MeP being condensed with formaldehyde in a single heterogeneous reaction step to form MMA
*So needs:
**[[Ethylene]]
**[[Formaldehyde]]


=Internal Links=
=Internal Links=

Latest revision as of 00:59, 20 May 2020

Basics

  • A Common thermoplastic
  • Also known as:
    • Poly(methyl methacrylate)
    • PMMA
    • acrylic glass
    • plexiglass
    • the trade names Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Astariglas, Lucite, Perclax, and Perspex
  • Is often clear
  • Is also a waste product from some sites (offcuts from laser cutters etc)
  • Can also be made into a Bubblegram which only it, and glass can do
  • VERY easy to work with:
    • Can be laser cut if in sheet form
    • Melts ~160 °C near PLA and ABS
    • Doesn'thave the hydrolysis issues of PET
  • Altogether GREAT material
  • It is a plastic, but supposedly some organisms may be evolving to break it down:
    • From wikipedia:
      • The Futuro house was made of fibreglass-reinforced polyester plastic, polyester-polyurethane, and poly(methylmethacrylate); one of them was found to be degrading by cyanobacteria and Archaea

Sourcing

Notes

  • You can get 1/32" polycarbonate, 4x8 sheets, at about $70. This is about $2/sf. Would need appropriate structural support, but otherwise it's pretty much indestructible.

Production

  • Varying methods
  • The main route seems to be Methyl methacrylate + A Polymerization Catalyst such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)
    • This is mainly done for "casting" the artificial "resin", but could perhaps be done in a reactor for producing solid string-ey product, for further refining into FDM Filament or Plastic Pellets
  • The "easiest" to do seems to be the various "Methyl propionate routes"
    • Uses carboalkoxylation of ethylene to produce methyl propionate (MeP)
    • Followed by the MeP being condensed with formaldehyde in a single heterogeneous reaction step to form MMA
  • So needs:

Internal Links

External Links