Polymethylmethacrylate Film - Material Information

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), widely known as acrylic, is a transparent thermoplastic recognized for its exceptional optical clarity, dimensional stability, and resistance to UV degradation. Its low density and glass-like appearance make it an ideal substitute for glass in optical and display technologies. Despite its rigidity and hardness, PMMA’s inherent brittleness and limited solvent resistance restrict some of its applications without modification.

Material Overview

PMMA is a polymer composed of repeating methyl methacrylate (C₅O₂H₈) units, forming an amorphous structure with high light transmission exceeding 92%. The material exhibits a glass transition temperature (T_g) of about 105 °C and maintains its optical properties under prolonged UV exposure. It has moderate thermal conductivity (~0.19 W m^?1 K^?1) and a refractive index of approximately 1.49. Copolymerization or blending—such as incorporating butyl acrylate (BA) or lauryl methacrylate (LMA)—can significantly improve toughness while retaining transparency, as shown by Wang et al. (2022). Studies by Wu et al. (2022) demonstrated that introducing phenyl and adamantyl groups enhances UV absorption and thermal stability, expanding PMMA’s optical design range for deep-UV lithography and high-performance coatings.

Applications and Advantages

PMMA films are widely applied in aerospace glazing, optical fibers, lighting covers, and precision instruments due to their clarity, light weight, and weathering resistance. Thermal and chemical modifications improve flexibility and enable use in sensor technology and display optics. For instance, annealed PMMA optical fibers exhibit increased thermal expansion control and humidity response (Leal-Junior et al., 2018), while lithium-salt modification reduces birefringence, improving display film performance (Ito et al., 2018). These tunable optical and mechanical features make PMMA a cornerstone polymer in photonics and engineering research.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies high-quality Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) films suitable for academic and industrial research. Available in multiple purity grades and customizable dimensions, these films offer excellent optical performance and surface quality for scientific applications. Explore the full range of PMMA and related polymeric materials through our Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Wang, Y., Qian, J., Xia, R., Jiang, T., Yang, B., et al. (2022). In situ copolymerized toughened polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) with high transparency for support film of polarizers. Polymer-Korea, 46(5), 566–574. https://doi.org/10.7317/pk.2022.46.5.566
• Wu, W., Ouyang, Q., He, L., & Huang, Q. (2022). Optical and thermal properties of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bearing phenyl and adamantyl substituents. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 130018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.130018
• Leal-Junior, A. G., Frizera, A., Marques, C., & Pontes, M. J. (2018). Mechanical properties characterization of polymethyl methacrylate polymer optical fibers after thermal and chemical treatments. Optical Fiber Technology, 45, 44–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.YOFTE.2018.04.016
• Ito, A., Maeno, R., & Yamaguchi, M. (2018). Control of optical and mechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) by introducing lithium salt. Optical Materials, 82, 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.OPTMAT.2018.06.001
• Garg, N., Bafna, M., & Sushila. (2020). Investigation of structural, optical, electrical and mechanical properties of di-methyl-tin-di-chloride PMMA composite films. Materials Today: Proceedings, 27, 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATPR.2020.04.587