acrylic acid
Quick Summary
Acrylic acid is an unsaturated liquid acid with the chemical formula C3H4O2. It readily polymerizes to create useful products, such as components for varnishes and lacquers. Both acrylic acid and methacrylic acid (C4H6O2) have been synthesized since the mid-19th century.12
Acrylic acid derivatives are the basis for a wide range of synthetic resins and fibers. For instance, esters of acrylic acid are polymerized to form polyacrylate resins, which are key ingredients in acrylic paints. Methacrylic acid esters are polymerized into polymethyl methacrylate, a clear plastic known by brand names like Plexiglas. Acrylic fibers, like Orlon, were first commercially successful in the 1950s. Other acrylic-based materials include adhesives (cyanoacrylate resins), soft contact lenses (polyHEMA), and flocculents for water clarification (polyacrylamide resins).2
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