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Plexiglas is a famed plastic brand invented in 1933 as an alternative to glass. This versatile and shatter-resistant product is used in myriad ways in businesses and homes. Let’s look at how this product was developed, and how you can utilise modern plexiglas in your own environment.
The Beginnings of Plexiglas
Plexiglas is the invention of Otto Röhm, an assistant chemist who studied Pharmacy and Chemistry in the early 1900s in Europe. His PhD was titled: ‘On polymerization products of acrylic acid’.
Röhm was a pioneer in plastic products, and together with fellow scientist Otto Haas, they founded Röhm & Haas chemical company in 1907 and began experimenting with commercial applications for acrylic acid ester. I
n 1932, Röhm, Haas and their team of chemists had a breakthrough with the development of Plexiglas, which was lighter than glass, but less likely to break.
What is Plexiglas?
Plexiglas is essentially a transparent thermoplastic, these days often called the generic names, plexiglass or acrylic sheets.
In 1933, Rohm made a hard, shatterproof polymer sheet, and he and Haas registered under the name we know today, Plexiglas. While the method is complex, basically, the two scientists poured polymerized methyl methacrylate (a synthetic polymer) between two glass panels.
During a process called polymerization, the material shrinks and the glass plates move towards one another. Finally, the finished piece of acrylic sheet, or Plexiglas, is removed from between the glass panels.
Plexiglas versus Other Options
Plexiglas is weather-resistant, durable and cost-effective. It’s colourless and light, but less likely to break than traditional glass. It also can be made in many different variants — colours, tints, thicknesses, reflective qualities — to give creative freedom to interior designers, architects, and DIY home enthusiasts.
Where to Buy Plexiglas
In Australia, you can purchase cut-to-size plexiglas products from home-improvement stores and dedicated plastic sheet suppliers. Stand-alone plastics warehouses usually have a huge range of acrylic sheets, brand names and their own plastic products in a variety of colours, tints and thicknesses.
One of the Best Mirror Acrylic Sheet, products you can find is from Australia’s long-established, Plastic Warehouse. Their mirrored acrylic products are good value, and come in gold, silver, rose gold and original. Plastic Warehouse not only supplies large companies with plastic sheet products but also smaller businesses and DIY home enthusiasts for minor endeavours.
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