Acrylic

There are a few chemical compounds that acryloyl group derived from acrylic acid. 

Example:

             1. Acrylic fiber

             2. Acrylic paint

             3. Acrylic glass

             4. Acrylic resin

             5. Acrylate polymer

      From the examples above, I would like to discuss some of the chemical compounds that derived from acrylic acid. 

      Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer (polyacrylonitrile). To be called acrylic in the U.S, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate or methyl acrylate. DuPont created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under the name Orlon or acrilan fabric. It was first developed in the mid-1940s but was not produced in large quantities until the 1950s. Strong and warm, acrylic fiber is often used for sweaters and tracksuits and as linings for boots and gloves, as well as in furnishing fabrics and carpets. It is manufactured as a filament, then cut into short staple lengths similar to wool hairs, and spun into yarn. In an additional, modacrylic is a modified acrylic fiber that contains at least 35% and at most 85% acrylonitrile monomer. The comonomers vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride or vinyl bromide used in modacrylic give the fiber flame retardant properties. End-uses of modacrylic include faux fur, wigs, hair extensions and protective clothing.

      These are some of the characteristics of acrylic fiber. It is outstanding wickability and quick drying to move moisture from body surface. Acrylic fiber can be easily washed and retains its shape. Besides that, it also resistant to moths, oil and chemical. It is a superior resistance to sunlight degradation too.

      Below are the photos of acrylic fiber and how is the acrylic fiber structure looks like.

       Next, I would like to talk about the acrylic paint. Acrylic paint is a fast-drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints are water soluble, but become water-resistant when dry. Depending on how much the paint is diluted with water or modified with acrylic gels, media, or pastes, the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media.

      As early as 1934 the first usable acrylic resin dispersion was developed by German chemical company BASF, which was patented by Rohm and Haas. The synthetic paint was first used in 1940s, combining some of the properties of oil and watercolor. Between 1946 and 1949, Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden invented a solution acrylic paint under the brand Magna paint. These were mineral spirit-based paints. Acrylics were made commercially available in the 1950s. A waterborne acrylic paint called "Aquatec" would soon follow. Otto Rohm invented acrylic resin, which quickly transformed into acrylic paint. In 1953, the year that Rohm and Haas developed the first acrylic emulsions, Jose L. Gutierrez produced Politec Acrylic Artists' Colors in Mexico, and Permanent Pigments Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, produced Liquitex colors. These two product lines were the very first acrylic emulsion artists' paints.

      Some of us will always think that acrylic paint and oil paint are the same things or product. Now, I will discuss about the difference between acrylic paint and oil paint. 

              Acrylic paint: - "water-based" (or sometimes "water-borne")

                                   - fast evaporation of water but "water-based" can be slowed with                                                       the use of acrylic retarders.

                                   - Not all pigments in oil are available in acrylic. Acrylic paints, unlike                                                  oil, may also be fluorescent.

                                   - more flexible nature and more consistent drying time between                                                          colors

                                   - acrylic paint is very elastic, which prevents cracking from occur

              Oil paint: - "oil-based"

                             - allow for more time to blend colors and apply even glazes over                                                         underpaintings

                             - require the use of solvents such as mineral spirits or turpentine to thin                                               the paint and clean up; these generally have some level of toxicity                                                 and are often found objectionable

                             - higher pigment load

      These are some of the photos of acrylic paint and some of the art work which uses acrylic paint.

      At last, I would like to discuss about acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers belong to a group of polymers which could be referred to generally as plastics. They are noted for their transparency, resistance to breakage, and elasticity. They are also commonly known as acrylics or polyacrylates. 

      Monomers, acrylic monomers are used to form acrylic polymers. They are based on the structure of acrylic acid, which consists of a vinyl group and acarboxylic acid terminus. Other typical acrylate monomers are derivatives of acrylic acid, such as methyl methacrylate in which one vinyl hydrogen and the carboxylic acid hydrogen are both replaced by methyl groups, and acrylonitrile in which the carboxylic acid group is replaced by the related nitrile group. 

There are others examples of acrylic monomers:

                     Methacrylates                               Methyl acrylate
                     Ethyl acrylate                                2-Chloroethyl vinyl ether
                     2-Ethylhexyl acrylate                    Hydroxyethyl methacrylate
                     Butyl acrylate                               Butyl methacrylate

      Let discuss about the properties of acrylic polymers. Acrylic offers light transmittance of 92%--theoretically the maximum obtainable--with particular clarity at lower wavelengths of 270 to 350 nm. Acrylic polymers have good mechanical strength and dimensional stability, along with high tensile and flexural strength. Acrylic also provides good surface hardness for scratch resistance, an important quality in medical applications. Because acrylic is a rigid material, standard grades do not provide high impact resistance. Acrylic does perform well in electrical applications, due to its insulating nature; an increase in absorbed moisture makes it more conductive. As temperatures increase, acrylic becomes more flexible and exhibits less flexural strength. Under sustained loading, strain on the material can induce excessive molecular movement that increases with time under load and higher temperatures and results in the phenomenon known as creep that is common to all thermoplastics.

      Before I end this article, I would like to show some of the photos of acrylic polymers.

All above show that there are different types of acrylic compounds that can be derived from the acrylic acid. Through this article, we can understand more about acrylic compounds with different properties and different structure.