Acrylic polymer fit for the future / New applications in automotive glazing, solar power and electronics / Transparency and weatherability/ Light guides for flat screen monitors represent 25% of consumption

摘要

Since its invention and patenting as "Plexiglas" in the 1930s, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) has consistently "reinvented" itself. The polymer debuted as an acrylic layer between two sheets of glass and later went on to replace glass. Fuelled by the drive for lightweight cars, automotive glazing was expected to be the biggest market for PMMA. In the meantime, the polymer's transparency, good weathering and optical properties have also opened up promising new applications in high tech markets such as solar energy and electronics.