PMMA / Acrylic Sustainable Solutions
Acrylic Beads
Acrylic beads are spherical and solid methacrylate bead polymers. They are commonly made through suspension polymerisation and range in diameter from a few to several hundred microns. Generally, acrylic beads have many advantages including excellent optical properties and outstanding weather resistance.
These materials have a large range of solubility, ranging from very soluble to cross-linked.
The spherical shape and small-sized beads offer several advantages over traditional resin granules, including increased surface area for quicker dissolving in solvents, light rendering properties including diffusion and scattering, and processing advantages
Acrylic beads production
PMMA is produced by polymerising methyl methacrylates (MMA) monomer. Suspension polymerisation is the process of producing acrylic beads, which are small spherical particles looking like a powder. These beads have similar properties to the granules, but their unique size and shape enables them to be used in different applications.
Benefits of Acrylic Beads
Deglossing / Texturing agent for thermoplastics or coatings: acrylic beads can be added to thermoplastic compounds or dispersed in coating formulations to give a less glossy and slightly textured surface finish.
Low profile additives for polyester unsaturated resins: the addition of acrylic copolymer beads into unsaturated polyester resins minimises part shrinkage during curing.
Porous moulds used for ceramic casting: when combined with methyl methacrylate monomer, acrylic beads form a porous material needed for the mold.
Mineral Composites: acrylic beads are perfect ingredients in acrylic mineral composites from solid surface to floor coating.
Binder in resin and coating: acrylic beads, with a wide range of composition and solubility, can be used as binder in solvent and curable formulations as coating, resins, glues and composites.