Difference Between Acrylic Plexiglass And Acrylic Sheets

While both materials provide durability and flexibility there are numerous differences between the two.

Difference between acrylic plexiglass and acrylic sheets.

Whether formed by casting or extrusion acrylic polymers are synthetic materials that result from a chemical reaction between a monomer and a catalyst. While plexiglas is a trade or brand name there is a difference in the way it is manufactured compared to standard acrylic. Liquid ingredients mix in glass molds to form cast acrylic. While plexiglass is made from acrylic there are subtle differences which can be important depending on the application.

Acrylic and plexiglass are often used interchangeably in product literature concerning sheet plastic. The material became available for commercial use in 1936 under the protected trademark plexiglas. So what is commonly known as plexiglass is really a brand of acrylic pmma. The acrylic sheet is also known as polymethyl methacrylate pmma which is a rigid thermoplastic and transparent material.

Typically plexiglass and acrylic products referred to as plexiglass will have very similar qualities. Acrylic latices may derive from esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. Extruded acrylic is manufactured using as the name suggests a process of extrusion. Polycarbonate and acrylic share many of the same types of plastic sheeting options like clear colored mirrored and more.

The biggest difference between plexiglas and some traditional acrylic is the way they are manufactured. Plexiglass is a colloquial way to refer to clear acrylic sheets making acrylic and plexiglass the same product. Extrusion or cell casting. Acrylic sheets are easy to glue and are good for milling bending and hot forming and is therefore a material suitable for many different applications.

Plexiglas however is manufactured in cell cast only. The key difference between acrylic and plexiglass is that plexiglass is a brand name of acrylic sheets. That is the biggest benefit to purchasing plexiglas over other brands of acrylic sheeting. Is there a difference between acrylic and plexiglass.

Pmma has a lot of advantages when compared to polymers such as. The very common uses of plexiglas sheets in modern times are the acrylic nails lenses lcd screens medical devices and security barriers etc. Acrylic sheeting is usually manufactured using one of two processes. Extruded or cell cast.

While the form may be the same you will find that a clear polycarbonate sheet and a clear acrylic sheet are vastly different due to the physical and chemical properties of the plastic. Typically the only difference is in the way in which the two products are manufactured. The terms acrylic and plexiglass are often used interchangeably for plastic sheets made from a polymer derived from esters of methacrylic acid. Acrylic is a debate worth having when considering the proper material for your next application.

The origin of the term plexiglass comes from a brand of clear cast acrylic sheets called plexiglas but today plexiglass and acrylic are often used interchangeably. Learn more at a c plastics today. The acrylic is continuously extruded to create sheets of acrylic.