Polymethyl methacrylate,mw 35000

• CAS: 9011-14-7
• Catalog Number: ACM9011147-6
• Category: Polymer/Macromolecule
• Molecular Weight: 35000
• Molecular Formula: [-CH₂C(CH₃)(CO₂CH₃)-]n
• Flash Point: 572°F
• Density: 1.20 (25°C)
• Alpha Sort: Polymethyl methacrylate
• Hazard Statements: Harmless-use normal precautions

Case Study

Polymethyl Methacrylate as Dual-Component Microcapsule Shell for Self-Healing Epoxy Composites

Li, Qi, et al. Composites Part B: Engineering 55 (2013): 79-85.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) serves as an effective shell material for encapsulating both epoxy resin and polyetheramine hardener via a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion solvent evaporation technique, enabling autonomous crack repair in epoxy composites through triggered release and mixing of the two healing agents.
Fabrication Process: DGEBA epoxy resin or polyetheramine hardener (4 g each) was dissolved with PMMA (1 g) in dichloromethane (30 mL). The organic phase was emulsified in 50 mL of 1 wt% SDS (for epoxy) or PVA (for hardener) aqueous solution under stirring (300-350 rpm) for 30 min, then poured into 180-200 mL of additional surfactant solution. After complete solvent evaporation, the resulting PMMA microcapsules were washed and dried.
Performance Evaluation: The microcapsules exhibited spherical morphology with mean diameters of 50-52 µm and core contents of ~50 wt% (epoxy) and ~20 wt% (hardener). When 15 wt% of dual-component microcapsules (1:1 weight ratio) were embedded in an epoxy matrix, the composite achieved a healing efficiency of 84.3% after 24 h at room temperature, significantly higher than single-component systems (39.7-50.8%). The tensile strength peaked at 5 wt% microcapsule loading before gradually decreasing.
Conclusion: PMMA dual-component microcapsules provide excellent compatibility with epoxy matrices, sufficient core retention, and controlled release of reactive agents, making them promising for self-healing composites in structural applications where manual repair is impractical.

Polymethyl Methacrylate as Universal Double-Side Passivator for High-VOC Perovskite Solar Cells

Peng, Jun, et al. Advanced Energy Materials 8.30 (2018): 1801208.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acts as a universal double-side passivation agent for perovskite solar cells, suppressing nonradiative recombination by Lewis-base passivation of undercoordinated Pb2+ defects via its carbonyl (C=O) groups, which significantly boosts open-circuit voltage (VOC) and device efficiency.
Assay Protocol: Ultrathin PMMA layers were inserted at both perovskite/electron-transport layer (ETL) and perovskite/hole-transport layer (HTL) interfaces. Device performance was tested via current-voltage scanning, while passivation mechanism was verified by photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL (TRPL), FTIR and DFT calculations.
Performance Evaluation: Double-side PMMA passivation raised VOC to 1.22 V and delivered a champion efficiency of 20.8% with negligible hysteresis for 1.6 eV bandgap perovskite cells. PL intensity increased 34-fold and carrier lifetime extended markedly, confirming reduced interfacial recombination. FTIR revealed a red-shifted C=O stretching peak, verifying strong coordination between PMMA and Pb2+. This universal strategy enhances performance across multiple perovskite compositions.

Polymethyl Methacrylate as Denture Base Matrix Reinforced with Zirconia Nanoparticles

Gad, Mohammed M., et al. International journal of nanomedicine (2018): 283-292.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) serves as the primary heat-polymerized matrix for removable denture bases, and its reinforcement with silanized zirconium oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZrO2) effectively improves tensile strength while balancing aesthetic translucency for clinical dental applications.
Assay Protocol: PMMA composites were formulated with 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt% silanized nano-ZrO2. Dumbbell specimens were tested for tensile strength via universal testing, and disc-shaped samples were measured for translucency using a spectrophotometer. Fracture surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Performance Evaluation: Tensile strength increased proportionally with nano-ZrO2 loading, rising from 58.07 MPa (pure PMMA) to 69.59 MPa (7.5 wt% nano-ZrO2). Translucency decreased significantly from 12.93 to 2.02, with 2.5 wt% nano-ZrO2 retaining the best optical properties. SEM confirmed uniform nanoparticle dispersion and compact fracture morphology. This reinforced PMMA achieves a favorable balance of mechanical performance and aesthetics for denture base fabrication.