What is Lucite Acrylic?
Lucite is the trademark of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and is called British Perspex, Plexiglas. Lucite is a synthetic organic compound of very heavy molecules made by combining many simple molecules of monomer (methyl methacrylate) into long chains. Well, long chains of such monomers are called polymers, and such making polymers are called polymerization. Heat and light can affect the operation of polymerization, although commercial product manufacturers usually employ chemical catalysts. Lucite is a versatile acrylic and used in many fabulous products like lucite tables, lucite sheets, lucite panels, lucite glass, and lucite crystal. Custom lucite can be mould into trophies, tables, desks, or anything you want.
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Lucite Acrylic: Why It Is Used As Lucite Sheets, Lucite Panels, Lucite Glass, Lucite Plexiglass, And Lucite Crystal?
Lucite acrylic has good resistance to shock and weathering; hence it is not affected much by weather such as summer, winter, or rain. It has high dimensional stability also. Furthermore, clear Lucite is highly transparent and colourless but can be rendered or tinted by adding other substances. It is generally fabricated by casting into Lucite sheets or moulding into definite articles like Lucite tables, Lucite panels, Lucite crystal, etc. In addition, an object made of PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) displays the unusual property of holding a light beam reflected within surfaces. Thus, it carries the light rays around corners and bends of a pipe, sheets, or bundle of threads. All objects made with Lucite acrylic reflect light beams through the ends and edges of the things. So, Lucite acrylic is wonderfully turned into Lucite crystals, Lucite glass, Lucite plexiglass, Lucite panels, Lucite tables, Lucite desks. It is widely used in canopies and windows of aircraft, and the making of medallions, ornaments, camera lenses, and automobile tail lights and spotlights. Moreover, it is also used in the medical field, like visually inspecting and illuminating interior organs through medicinal devices.
Fun Facts: Reasons to Love Lucite Acrylic
The history of lucite is rich, and nowadays, it is becoming more popular than before. DuPont and Rohm & Hass carved durable, flexible, and transparent acrylic for the first time to be served in the World War II effort in the windshield of aeroplane and submarine periscope. From 1950, glass-like acrylic was started using furniture, handbags, slippers, and fashion jewellery.
Lucite is unpretentious clear acrylic with a 93% transparency rate. It stands out ironically by letting the materials around it be seen and even highlighted. It’s just a practical acrylic resin called Poly(methyl methacrylate), a thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a shatter-resistant or lightweight alternative to soda-lime glass.
It is waterproof and UV resistance. Mostly plastic breaks when it comes into Ultra Violet rays, but Lucite is Ultra Violet rays resistant and will not break. It is coastal-friendly and outdoor-friendly. Acrylic is made up of natural gases and inert in solid form. Hence, custom Lucite will not become yellow in sunlight.
It is a magical acrylic as it reflects the light beams on the edges and corners of the objects. It is also used as a light redirecting source because it blends the light. When it is mixed with other substances, it showcases the details very clearly. In addition, it is preferable to make stylish interior and outdoor furniture. Lucite glass-like acrylic is a non-conductor of cold and hot and more suitable for outdoor tables and chairs than metallic material.
FAQs on Lucite
1. How to Identify if Your Object is Made Up of Lucite or Not?
Answer: Mostly Lucite objects are left transparent, and Lucite jewellery is in different shapes, colours, and designs. There are no particular tests to check the lucite material, but you can identify Lucite in various ways from the following tips. Examine the look of the material; it looks clear with glitter, rhinestones, metal, leather, or carved designs. The weight of the Lucite objects is much lighter than others like bakelite. If you put Lucite objects in warm water, there will be no smell. If the thing is made up of bakelite or celluloid, it smells strong when put into the warm water; it seems like a yucky feeling.
2. How is Lucite Used in the Making of Jewellery?
Answer: Lucite is generally colourless, and you can obtain any colour by adding other substances, and it also reflects light beams. So, it is widely used to make jewellery. It is mainly called costume jewellery. DuPont company has made glass-like lucite crystal jewellery, and later on, this company licensed the jewellery making trademark. Jewellery made with this acrylic can be opaque, translucent, or transparent. Acrylic lucite are highly in demand because of their low rate and versatile uses. Such clear crystals of acrylic can imitate diamonds and gemstones. Monet and Trifari are some famous brands that use lucite to make jewellery.
3. What is the Difference Between Lucite and Plastic?
Answer: As we have discussed that Lucite is the brand name of a specific acrylic that is transparent and light in weight. Plastic is a semi-synthetic or synthetic polymer. Lucite is the acrylic that has properties of both materials glass and plastic. We can say that Lucite is another type of plastic called acrylic. Lucite is denser and heavier as compared to plastic. Lucite is carved out. In comparison, plastic has seven kinds used for different purposes. Lucite is not the kind of plastic you use at your house, like plastic bags, plastic tables, bottles, baskets, jars, etc.