What is Acrylic?

Acrylic is a man-made or synthetic plastic.  Acrylic plastic is also called acrylic glass and is a clear alternative to sheet glass.  Such brand common brand names are Plexiglas, Lucite, Perspex and Crystallite.  This material is rather tough, impact and scratch resistant, weather resistant and highly transparent.  It is excellent at resisting radiation and weathering.  One of the perks of using acrylic is the fact that it can be colored, molded, cut, drilled and formed into desired shapes.

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Impact Resistant Uses

Because acrylic plastic is impact and shatter resistant, it has multiple uses.  One such use is in aquariums.  Aquariums cannot crack or shatter because the fish and other sea life are at risk.  Other such uses are:

·         Windows and Windshields of Police Riot Vehicles

·         Exterior Lenses in Automobiles

·         Motorcycle Helmet Visors

·         Aircraft and Submarine Windows

·         Glass That Protects Spectators at Hockey Games

Medical Uses

Acrylic plastic is used widely with medical technologies because it is very compatible with human tissue.  Such examples of these uses are:

·         Implants

·         Replace Lenses Inside the Eye During Eye Surgery

·         Hard Contact Lenses

·         Replaces Bone Mass Loss to Allow Connection of Body Implants

·         Bioplasty Procedures to Enhance or Reconstruct Face, Buttocks and Extremities

Other Uses

Acrylic plastic can be dissolved into oils and fluids that are used with heavy equipment and machinery.  This keeps the liquids from stiffening when the temperatures are cold.  Other uses for acrylic are:

·         Acrylic Paint

·         Modern Furniture

·         Instruments

·         Picture Frames

·         Toys

·         Cd’s

·         DVD’s