Can Plexiglas Handle Extreme Cold?

A common use for acylic glass.

Plexiglas, or poly(methyl methacrylate), can handle extreme cold, including temperatures down to -150 degrees Fahrenheit. Plexiglas is used in a variety of ways---at an ice rink to protect spectators, in submarines as windows and in small- and large-scale aquariums.

Identification

Plexiglas is the trademark poly(methyl methacrylate), or PMMA. It is a transparent, less breakable substitute for glass. PMMA occurs in paint as latex. Lucite used in bath tubs, sinks and bathroom accessories is another name used for PMMA.

History

PMMA got its start in 1843 as acrylic acid. Two German chemists created the process that turned acrylic acid into poly(methyl methacrylate) in 1877. In 1933, Otto Rohm called it Plexiglas. During World War 2, manufacturers made submarine periscopes, windshields, airplanes, and gun turrets and canopies from it.

Considerations

PMMA is cheaper than polycarbonate and doesn't contain the harmful chemical bisphenol-A although it scratches easier than glass. Manufacturers have developed scratch-resistant coatings for it.

References

• Polymer Science Learning Center: Poly(methyl methacrelate)