Acrylic Family

The acrylic family of polymers includes polymers and copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids and esters, acrylonitrile, and acrylamide [Kine and Novak, 1985 Nemec and Bauer, 1985 Peng, 1985 Thomas and Wang, 1985], 

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From the viewpoint of sales volume, all other members of the acrylic family constitute a small fraction of the total. However, many of them are useful specialty products. Polyacrylamide (XLIV), poly(acrylic acid) (XLV), and poly(methacrylic acid) (XLVI) and some of their copolymers are used in various applications that take advantage of their solubility in water. Poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) are used as thickening agents (water... 

Since GTP deals mainly with the acrylic family of monomers, comparison to other controlled methods for polymerization of this class will be covered. The huge, as yet unrealized, commercial potential of controlled free radical polymerization is of special note. 

Also in the acrylate family, n-butyl methacrylate is produced by the same process as methyl methacrylate -alcoholysis of methacrylamide with n-butanol. There are two major applications for n-butyl methacrylate - as a modifier in polymers for industrial and automotive lacquers and as a comonomer with higher methacrylates (e.g., lauryl and stearyl) in the manufacture of lubricant viscosity index improvers. 

Curing by light irradiation can be apphed to a variety of polymers. The acrylic family is a typical example of photosensitive monomers. A well-documented review has recently been dedicated to the curing of composites by ultraviolet radiation [45], Photocuring time is much shorter than for traditional thermal curing (minutes rather than hours), leading to a significant reduction in the cycle time. 

This is a special plastic in the acrylic family PEMA provides the usual properties with flexibility. 

We have outlined the diversity and procedural flexibility afforded through the use of appropriately designed synthetic polymers for mammalian cell immobilization. Having selected the acrylate family of monomers because of their diversity, we have shown that mammalian cells may be microencapsulated in uncharged and polyelectrolyte polymer, in polyelectrolyte complexes and inside a cohesive precipitate from a destabilized emulsion all without significant loss of viability. Through this chemical diversity and inherent biocompatibility, these systems hold forth the possibility of improved transplantation therapies for a wide variety of cellular diseases. 

Today, over four hundred different varieties of pressure-sensitive tape are available. Manufacturers employ various glues, but most of these fall into the acrylic family of polymers. They are not designed to be removed as easily as masking tape, and they adhere strongly because they produce numerous microscopic suction cups when pressed on a surface. 

Taken together, acrylic and styrene-acrylic conqiositions account for nearly 30% of commercial emulsion polymers. The common practical element of these acrylic and methacrylic monomers is the ability to copolymerize well with each other and this leads to an enormous range of accessible compositions and physical properties such as glass transition temperature and solubility characteristics of the resulting polymers. Styrene (S) also copolymerizes reasoruiily well with acrylics, especially the aUyl acrylates, and is therefore included in this sense in the acrylic family. Homopolymers of S and methyl methacrylate (MMA) have similar glass transition temperatures and selection of one over the other in a copolymer may... 

There is a large variation in kp values and activation energies between monomer families, but the values within a monomer family are very similar. AH methacrylates exhibit a similar temperature ( p of 21-23 kj mol" ) and pressure (A Yp —16x 10" fmol" ) dependence, and the kp values for alkyl methacrylates at 50°C increase with increasing size of the alkyl ester group (methyl to dodecyl) by less than a factor of two. The alkyl acrylate family exhibits the same trends, although the activation energies (17-18 kjmol" ) and... 

A new acrylic family (83) was developed specifically for low surface energy surfaces, e.g., polypropylene. A new... 

Since the early stages of their development, a wide range of rubbers has been used as dielectric elastomers. The most commonly used elastomers belong to the silicone, polyurethane, and acrylic families. Other elastomers, such as polyisoprenes, fluorinated elastomers,... 

PMMA is the most common member of the acrylic family and widely known as the ICI trade name of Perspex . Acrylic has excellent transparency and no appreciable yellowing under sunlight. They are therefore used in the construction industry and in the electrical industry for lighting systems and lenses. 

The basic ingredient in anaerobic adhesives is a monomer from the acrylic family, a special liquid of small molecules that can combine chemically to form a polymer or a group of molecules. The molecules of an anaerobic monomer contain two carbon atoms that are double bonded to each other. The active ingredient in this monomer is called a free radical. This is a molecule that has an affinity for carbon but prefers to react with oxygen. As this free radical reacts with oxygen molecules, it forms a stable liquid like the original monomer. 

A cyanoacrylate adhesive is a very rapid curing adhesive, also from the acrylic family tree but having a completely different cure system. Cyanoacrylate monomer is made from a eomplex ehemical process. The monomer produces a very reaetive polymerization. The reaction or polymerization process is stabilized and the monomer kept in the liquid state by the addition of a small amount of an acid stabilizer material. ... 

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) This important member of the acrylate family is often freely abbreviated acrylate . It has moderate toughness and excellent optical properties. It is hard. Hence, applications include glazing, fibers for transporting light, instrument panels, and packaging. 

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