Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) is a polymer compound containing three hydrogen atoms and one carbon atom with a single electron in its proline nucleus. This colorless, odorless liquid, the basic methyl ester of methyl acrylic acid, is also a monomer created on a large scale in industries for the manufacture of polymers, plastics, and rubber products. For instance, in September 2021, the Japanese auto giant, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, announced to establish a new manufacturing facility in Geismar, Louisiana, for the production of methyl methacrylate (MMA) to capitalize on the rising demand in the U.S. Its popularity stems from its unique property of spreading through an environment without any loss of the original volume. It is also known as 'blue' due to the color blue of the solution used in its synthesis.
In chemistry, a monomer is a combination of two molecules or more, where each molecule has only one valence electron rather than two. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is in the class of monomers known as polymer compounds, which are made up of combinations of two polymer molecules. Common examples of such compounds are silicone, nylon, styrene, and polystyrene. The major use of methyl methacrylate in the industry is as a hardener for industrial lubrication such as in bearings, fan blades, shafts, pistons, and some types of pumps. The resulting material with a little bit of heat is called a catalyst; this gives the desired conductivity to the material and ensures that it is safe enough to be used for applications where extreme temperatures are needed.
Today, methyl methacrylate (MMA) is commonly used as a polymer in plastics production, particularly in polymerizing plastic food containers. It is also widely used as a catalyst in the synthesis of acrylics (commonly referred to as 'clear coatings') and as a catalyst in the synthesis of nylon. In addition, it is widely used in the chemical industry for the synthesis of nylon polymers and polyester. It is also widely used in the textile industry to produce 'ink' for things like T-shirts and carpeting.