Methacrylates

In the field of methacrylate chemicals, the Methacrylates Business Unit occupies a leading global position with its standard and special products.  In 2005 the Business Unit generated sales of € 812 million.

The special properties of methacrylates mean that they can be deployed in a diversity of areas. As standard monomers they are used to produce, among other things, synthetic resins and act as a fixing agent in weather-resistant paints and varnishes. Special monomers, on the other hand, create the connection between new paint and the old coat. In addition, they are the ideal components for structural adhesives, hair care products or contact lenses and plastic lenses for eyeglasses.

PMMA molding compounds, which are marketed under the names PLEXIGLAS^®, PLEXALLOY^® and CYROLITE^®, are indispensable partners in, for example, auto production, transport, optics, communications, medical technology and the construction and lighting industry due to their high level of transparency and their weather and scratch resistance. PLEXIGLAS^® and PLEXALLOY^® molding compounds, for example, are deployed successfully for non-transparent external bodywork parts and doe a convincing job with its outstanding properties such as high color fastness and weather resistance. In addition, its efficient processing into colored add-on bodywork parts makes spraying or coating superfluous.

PLEXIGLAS^® semifinished products stand out by virtue of their extremely high weather resistance, great robustness, high transparency and outstanding brilliance. This and its availability in different colours, its simple moldability and low weight are advantages that other plastic or mineral glass cannot offer in this combination. PLEXIGLAS^® is used for construction and greenhouse glazing, in trade fair and shop construction, in neon advertising, for displays and protective glazing, in sanitary applications, as well as for working and furniture surfaces in kitchens and laboratories.

The main focus of research in the Methacrylates Business Unit is the development of new special monomers and thermoplastic methacrylate polymers as well as the further development of PLEXIGLAS^® and kindred materials. This research is concentrated on extra-thin, light and strongly refractive plastic lenses or on new polymers for display technology and semifinished products with functional surfaces for e.g. lighting applications, improved resistances or decorative effects.

Further information can be obtained here.

Degussa's Methacrylates is a worldwide supplier of PMMA Molding Compounds and Semifinished Products under the PLEXIGLAS^® trademark (sold in the Americas under the ACRYLITE^® trademark of Cyro Industries, USA).