Acrylic acid was first created in 1843, but it was only in 1933 that first perspex sheet was formed and registered as PLEXIGLAS. This type of acrylic glass, which is what perspex sheets essentially are, was then used in aircraft gun turrets and submarine periscopes. The product has now found a lot of uses, since, and is commonly found even in households.
Plastics are of two kinds,one that sets into a permanent shape and called thermoset, and another which is pliable and allows for reshaping. It is this flexible plastic that is called polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA that is referred to as acrylic glass, which perspex sheets essentially are. These sheets are a low-cost alternative to polycarbonate; a material that has much higher strengths.
Perspex has a great similarity to glass in the transparency that it affords. Its other properties, however, make it superior to glass in every way. It has higher resistance to impact and will rarely shatter as easily as glass will. Its weight is half that of glass. This lightness gives it a lot of advantages in being able to reduce loads on structures and any other equipment where it is used. Acrylic sheets of high quality will never turn yellow when exposed to the sun. It does scratch more easily than glass, but can be buffed to make the scratches almost invisible. When it does break on high impact, it shatters into large pieces, unlike glass that can form tiny pieces that are difficult to see, and can cause injuries.
Perspex sheets are made from acrylic that has a petroleum base. The sheets can be made in varying thicknesses. The sheets are very easy to cut as compared to glass and can even be joined to give joints that are almost seamless. Besides its obvious use in places where vision is of importance, like windows, it is also mainly used in roofing. Perspex sheets can be formed into corrugations that allow them to gain a lot of structural strength. Perspex has also been made into furniture. It has also been used to make items for use in sinks, as it is very easy to mold it into the required shapes. The sheets are also very easy to clean though chemicals must be avoided in this process, as they can affect them.
Acrylic softens only at temperatures that are above 160 degrees Celsius, and that is the reason the sun has no effect on perspex sheets. It is, however, vulnerable to open flames, as then the sheets get distorted and also release toxic fumes. Costs depend on the price of oil.
Leave a Reply