Acid rain, polymer weathering

Ot h6r. Synthetic marble fixtures and bathtubs are made using methacrylic ester polymers (145,146). Opaque and clear methacrylate sheets have been used as structural components in the manufacture of recreational vehicles (147). These materials are additionally used for electrical insulation. Thermoplastic methacrylate resins are used in lacquer coatings for plastics, in printing inks, as heat seal lacquers for packaging, as screen printing media for decorative porcelain, in traffic paints, and for the protection of buildings from acid rain and weathering (148). Other copolymer used are discussed in the article Ester Polymers. 

Each polymer has its own distinctive chemical nature. Some are affected by fuels and lubricants, others are attacked by battery acid, and all are visually affected to some degree by weathering. However, none is susceptible to factors like acid rain, sea spray and road salt which can do so much damage to unprotected sheet steel, requiring the automotive industry to spend huge sums on corrosion protection. 

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