Properties of PLEXIGLAS® acrylic
As transparent as glass, half as heavy, and free of optical distortion, PLEXIGLAS® acrylic became a sought-after material soon after the trademark was registered in 1933. The branded acrylic is also distinguished by its other material properties:
One of its defining quality features is its extraordinary light transmission of 92 percent in colorless material. This means PLEXIGLAS® lets light pass through, while simultaneously providing protection from the harmful effects of UV radiation.
With UPF 50+ (Ultraviolet Protection Factor), PLEXIGLAS® sheets possess the highest level of UV protection for roofing materials. PLEXIGLAS® acrylic consists entirely of extremely strong and UV-stable molecules. Specialists in the field describe this as a “naturally UV-stable technology”. The advantage is that it does not need to be coated with a UV protection layer, as is the case with many other materials. As a result, the entire material is UV-resistant and not just the surface.
One of the most important quality characteristics of the PLEXIGLAS® branded product is that virtually all clear-transparent solid sheets, multi-skin sheets, corrugated sheets, blocks, tubes and rods do not yellow for a very long period of time and retain their high level of transparency. POLYVANTIS even offers a 30-year guarantee for this. In general, the material is extremely robust, durable and weather-resistant, and it still looks like new even after many years.
PLEXIGLAS® acrylic also has many more attractive properties: in its purest form, it is absolutely clear, which means it can be colored very precisely. The solid sheets are currently available in over 80 colors, also with different surfaces and high functionalities. Specially developed variants are extraordinarily good at conducting light, while others are able to withstand extreme pressures, while others provide protection from heat or sound.
PLEXIGLAS® acrylic is 100% recyclable
Using different recycling processes, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) – the chemical name for acrylic – can be broken down into its original components, immediately forming pure PMMA again – for example as PLEXIGLAS® proTerra. The method allows PLEXIGLAS® products to be recycled not only in full, but at full quality. This type of circular economy, which is possible only for a very limited number of plastics, saves resources and helps to avoid waste.