Poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) is a family of organic polymers with the formula ()
n. It is a synthetic
acrylate polymer derived from
methyl acrylate monomer. The polymers are colorless. This homopolymer is far less important than copolymers derived from methyl acrylate and other monomers. PMA is softer than
polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA),
It is tough, leathery, and flexible.
Copolymers
Far more important than PMA are copolymers produced from methyl acrylate and one or more of the following
comonomers
methyl methacrylate
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is an organic compound with the formula CH2=C(CH3)COOCH3. This colorless liquid, the methyl ester of methacrylic acid (MAA), is a monomer produced on a large scale for the production of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA ...
,
styrene,
acrylonitrile,
vinyl acetate,
vinyl chloride,
vinylidene
chloride, and
butadiene.
Properties
It has a low
glass-transition temperature about 10°C (12.5°C in case of PMA
38).
It is soluble in
dimethyl sulfoxide
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an organosulfur compound with the formula ( CH3)2. This colorless liquid is the sulfoxide most widely used commercially. It is an important polar aprotic solvent that dissolves both polar and nonpolar compounds a ...
(DMSO).
PMA is water-sensitive and unlike PMMA, is not stable against
alkali
In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a ...
es.
High-energy
radiation
In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes:
* ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visi ...
leads to cross linking in PMA. However in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a compound similar to PMA, degradation occurs instead.
Uses
Also used in leather finishing and textiles.
Derivatives of this polymer are commonly used in orally administerd pharmaceutical formulations to target specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract.
References
{{Plastics
Acrylate polymers