Industrial Uses of Acrylic Acid and Its Resins
Acrylic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula C3H4O2, being the simplest unsaturated carboxylic acid. It consists of a vinyl group and a carboxyl group. Pure acrylic acid is a colorless liquid with a characteristic pungent odor. It is miscible with water, alcohols, ethers, and chloroform, and it is produced from propylene obtained from oil refineries.
Properties:
- Colorless liquid.
- Spicy odor.
- Sensitive to light.
- Can emit smoke.
- Highly prone to polymerization in the presence of oxygen.
- Miscible with water, ether, ethanol.
- Relative density (d164): 1.0621.
- Melting point: 14°C.
- Boiling point: 141°C.
- Refractive index (n20D): 1.4224.
- Flashpoint (open cup): 68°C.
- Low toxicity; median lethal dose (rat, oral): 2.59 g/kg.
- Corrosive.
- Commercial products often contain a stabilizer (polymerization inhibitor).
Industrial Applications of Acrylic Acid and Its Resins:
Acrylic acid is primarily used in industry for the production of acrylic esters (resins), accounting for approximately 60% of its total consumption. These esters are utilized in construction, papermaking, leather, textiles, plastic processing, packaging materials, daily-use chemicals, water treatment, oil extraction, and metallurgy. Acrylic acid plays a significant role in fine chemical industries. Polymers such as polyacrylates and copolymers of acrylic acid are used as dispersants, flocculants, and thickeners. By the late 1970s, these polymers were also applied in high-absorbency resins and detergent additives.
Broadly speaking, acrylic resins refer to the homopolymers and copolymers of (meth)acrylic acid and its derivatives. Homopolymers include poly(meth)acrylic acid and its salts, poly(meth)acrylic acid methyl ester, butyl ester, polyacrylamide, and polyacrylonitrile. Depending on the intended use, different monomers and ratios can be selected to produce various copolymers. In a narrower sense, acrylic resin mainly refers to poly(meth)acrylic acid and its salts, which are polyelectrolytes whose properties are influenced by pH. Different polymerization methods can yield resins in solid, solution, or emulsion states, suitable for various applications. Acrylic fibers are predominantly used in textiles such as clothing, decorative items, and faux fur, with limited industrial applications. Currently, cotton-type acrylic fibers account for about 29% of the total demand, mainly used for producing yarn and fabric. Wool-type fibers are often processed into knitting yarn, imitation wool carpets, and faux fur. When acrylic acid is mixed with marble powder (calcium carbonate powder), it forms white paint.
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