Acrylic Sheet

Acrylic, also known as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), offers a range of advantages over glass. It is safer, lighter, and more resistant to staining, water, and cracking.

Advantages

Safety and Weight: Acrylic is much safer than glass and weighs only half as much.
Polishing Ease: Edges can be easily polished for a refined finish.
Stain Resistance: It doesn't stain easily and is washable.
Water Resistance: Exhibits water resistance properties.
Good Adhesion: Shows excellent adhesion with adhesives.
Crack and Blister Resistance: Resists cracking and blistering.
Resistant to Alkali Cleaners: Withstands alkali cleaners effectively.
Strength and Weight: Acrylic is strong yet lightweight with a density less than half that of glass.
UV and Environmental Stability: Superior stability in outdoor applications.
Machining Characteristics: Easily machinable with various tools.
Gluing and Bonding: Joins well using Tensol cement, superglue, or solvents.
Food Applications Suitability: FDA approved for food contact.
Wear Resistance: Not ideal for high-wear applications.
Chemical Resistance: Poor resistance to certain chemicals.

Disadvantages

Higher Cost: Acrylic is more expensive than glass.
Susceptible to Melting: It can melt if exposed to direct flames.
Low Solvent Resistance: Acrylic has low resistance to some solvents.
Potential for Stress Cracking: It can experience stress cracking.
Limited Temperature Range: Operates in a temperature range less than 70 degrees C.
Impact Strength: Impact resistance is only around 8 times stronger than glass.

Performance

In the majority of applications, acrylic sheet will not shatter. Rather, it breaks into large dull pieces. Since acrylic is softer and more easily scratched than glass, scratch-resistant coatings are often added to sheets to protect it. While it is not particularly flexible, its advantage is that it can be curved and formed into a variety of shapes and configurations.

Applications

Food Processing: Essential for safe and reliable food processing.

Conveyor and Bottling Industries: Trusted for smooth operations.

General Machining: Valued for versatility in various applications.

Plant Engineering: Provides robust solutions for engineering projects.

Bulk Material Handling: Reliable for efficient material transport.

Considerations

Acrylic swells and dissolves in many organic solvents. Its impact strength is still significantly lower than polycarbonate and some engineered polymers. Acrylic ignites at 460 °C and burns, forming carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, and other compounds, including formaldehyde.

Unique Characteristics

Acrylic sheets are noted for their exceptional clarity and optical properties. Acrylics are widely used in lighting fixtures because they are slow-burning or even self-extinguishing.

Other Trade Names

Perspex®

Lucite®

Plexiglas®

Altuglas®

Size Range, Colors, and Availability

Acrylic sheets come in clear or opal in the main. Available thicknesses are 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm as standard, although thicker material is available to order. Colored Perspex is available to order but mainly in 3mm or 5mm.

Summary of Acrylic Sheet

Acrylic plastic sheet is completely transparent, flexible, and exhibits pretty good resistance to breakage. Acrylic is an excellent material to use in place of glass for windows, skylights, doors, partitions, etc. Acrylic is lightweight, half the weight of glass, and it is virtually unaffected by nature. Its transparency, gloss, and dimensional shape are virtually unaffected by years of exposure to the elements, salt spray, or corrosive atmospheres. Acrylic materials withstand exposure to light from fluorescent lamps without darkening or deteriorating.