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Lucite® is a strong and durable acrylic plastic that can be colored and molded into custom shapes. It is made from methyl methacrylate through polymerization. Lucite® is used in various industries and can be made opaque or colored. MMA, the compound used to make Lucite®, is hazardous in its untreated form. Lucite International Company is the world’s leading MMA producer.
Lucite® is the trade name for a type of acrylic plastic distributed by Lucite International Company. It is a synthetic organic compound that is formed in the laboratory through a polymerization process. Lucite® can be colored in almost any color. It can be formed into sheets or cast into a custom shape in a mold. Due to its strength and durability, it is often used in the manufacturing and technology industries to create everything from aircraft canopies to LCD monitors.
To create Lucite® and other Plexiglas materials, chemists use an organic compound called methyl methacrylate (MMA). The small MMA molecules are joined together in a repeating pattern to create large molecular chains in a process known as polymerization. The resulting polymer is called polymethyl methacrylate, which is the building block of Lucite®. The strength, color and other properties of a polymer are determined by two factors, the base molecules being joined and the type of bond used to join them. While polymerization is best known for its role in creating plastics, it’s also used to make a range of other materials, including dishwasher detergents and stretch fabrics.
The material that results from MMA polymerization is naturally colorless and transparent, making it ideal for use in windshields, lenses and screens. Manufacturers may choose to introduce other materials into the polymer to make Lucite® opaque. Matt Lucite® can be used for lampshades or decorative light panels. The colorless nature of Lucite® also allows it to be colored. Coloring results in light, vibrant colors that will not fade, perfect for use in plastic furniture or building siding.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States has deemed MMA to be a hazardous substance. Serious respiratory health problems can occur when it is inhaled or allowed to contact the eyes, mouth or skin. Once MMA has been made into a polymer, most or all of these harmful effects disappear. Most people who experience side effects from MMA are industrial or scientific workers who may be exposed to it in its untreated form.
The Lucite International Company is the leading MMA producer in the world. It supplied over 25% of the world’s supply of MMA in 2010. The company began as a joint venture of Dupont and ICI acrylics. As of 2010, it had 14 production sites in North America, Europe and Asia.
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