What is Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)?

If you were to ask anyone if they knew what is &#;Methyl Methacrylate&#;, the answer you would get is a clueless face. But if you are working in the highways line marking industry, this product is commonly known as MMA cold plastic.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Tenroads.

As a civilian, you see these types of road markings daily, like pedestrian crossings, double yellow lines, and the dotted lines that make up the lanes of the motorways. With our daily commutes to work, to the shops or taking the kids to school, road markings are everywhere and are the bedrock of our highway systems.

Methyl Methacrylate or MMA markings are just one type of road marking that we see daily. Road marking contractors use this product for specific types of jobs, where thermoplastic markings may not be suitable. But the question is, what exactly is so special about MMA markings and why is it the next best thing in road paint world.

Where would you see Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) road markings?

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) road markings are some of the hardest wearing highways markings available for road marking contractors to use. They have been used to great success within the UK and throughout Europe in high traffic areas and high-stress locations such as junction markings, stop bars, hatching and other transverse markings. By utilising this material in places that are prone to high wear, the lifespan of the markings is extended, ensuring fewer reapplications.

Motorways and A-Roads

With the UK&#;s motorways and A-roads being the main travel routes across the country, these tend to have specific high traffic and high friction areas. In these areas, informative marking is plentiful and should be as durable as possible, with places such as slip roads and junctions being the most likely to receive Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) markings.

Cycle paths & Lanes

Cyclist safety is paramount, especially in partially sharing the road with my types of motorists. It is crucial that the level of slip resistance remains consistently high, with all markings remaining clear and readable. The purpose of these markings is to help preserve this crisp and fresh look in cycling areas.

How are MMA road markings applied?

There are several different application processes for MMA and these will each yield different performance results.

Hand applied

The most common way for small projects, junctions and logos/letters is usually hand-applying through a process called screeding using standard hand moulds. As a result of this manual application, MMA road markings are usually applied in specific locations where they are deemed necessary rather than across long distances.

Spray applied

Spraying the lines across a highway or road can considerably speed up the MMA application process whilst still maintaining the high durability finish that it is known for. This can be applied by a few machines from are Graco Pavement marking range. The most popular are the ES Roadliner, Graco LineLazer V 200 MMA 1:1, or the Graco 200HS Reflective series.

What are the benefits of using MMA road markings?

The lifespan and durability of the product

One of the main benefits of working with MMA markings is their excellent and hard-wearing properties that stand the test of time. Traditional line marking materials are prone to have a much shorter lifespan, and as such, they are often in need of regular maintenance. This tends to be costly over time, but also faded road markings can also be a safety hazard, especially in conditions with low visibility.

Road Visibility

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) markings offer much a higher retro-reflectivity than traditional markings. The markings are augmented with a glass bead coating which only serves to help it stand out even further under headlights.

Environmentally friendly

With the increased life of the marking and less requirement for refreshing, this means less site visits and less need for trucks and transport for materials and workforce to and from site. For urban environments, this is a fantastic solution, as these are the areas that are usually most concerned with lowering harmful emissions.

If you want to know more about Methyl Methacrylate (MMA), get in touch today for a non-obligation quote at or call us on 200 606 to discuss how we can help with your line marking projects.

Not to be confused with methyl acrylate

Chemical compound

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is an organic compound with the formula CH2=C(CH3)COOCH3. This colorless liquid, the methyl ester of methacrylic acid (MAA), is a monomer produced on a large scale for the production of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).[4]

History

MMA was discovered by Bernhard Tollens and his student W. A. Caspary in ,[5] who noticed and described its tendency to change into a clear, hard, transparent substance especially in sunlight.[6] Studies on acrylic esters slowly developed until the Staudinger's theory of macromolecules and his research into the nature of polyacrylates allowed to control the polymerization. Company Rohm and Haas founded by German chemist Otto Röhm, who investigated the topic for three decades, was finally able to start its industrial production in .[7]

Production and properties

Given the scale of production, many methods have been developed starting from diverse two- to four-carbon precursors.[8] Two principal routes appear to be commonly practiced.

Cyanohydrin route

The principal route begins with the condensation of acetone and hydrogen cyanide:[4]

(CH3)2CO + HCN &#; (CH3)2C(OH)CN

Sulfuric acid then hydrolyzes acetone cyanohydrin (ACH) to a sulfate ester-adduct, which is cracked to the ester:

(CH3)2C(OH)CN + 2H2SO4 &#; ((CH3)2C(OSO3H)C(O)NH2·H2SO4 &#; (CH3)2C(OSO3H)C(O)NH2 + H2SO4

Methanolysis gives ammonium bisulfate and MMA:

(CH3)2C(OSO3H)C(O)NH2 + CH3OH &#; CH2 =C(CH3)C(O)OCH3 + NH4HSO4

Laboratory scale procedures are available for some of these steps.[9]

This technology affords more than 3 billion kilograms per year, and the economics have been optimized.[10][11] Nevertheless, the ACH route coproduces substantial amounts of ammonium sulfate: roughly 1.1 kg/(kg MMA). The ammonium sulfate can be converted to diammonium sulfate, which is a common ferrtilizer. Also it can be combusted to give sulfuric acid

Methyl propionate routes

The first stage involves carboalkoxylation of ethylene to produce methyl propionate (MeP):[12]

C2H4 + CO + CH3OH &#; CH3CH2CO2CH3

The MeP synthesis is conducted in a continuous-stirred tank reactor at moderate temperature and pressure using proprietary agitation and gas-liquid mixing arrangement.

In a second set of reactions, MeP is condensed with formaldehyde in a single heterogeneous reaction step to form MMA:[13]

CH3CH2CO2CH3 + CH2O &#; CH3(CH2)CCO2CH3 + H2O

The reaction of MeP and formaldehyde takes place over a fixed bed of catalyst. This catalyst, caesium oxide on silica, achieves good selectivity to MMA from MeP. The formation of a small amount of heavy, relatively involatile compounds poisons the catalyst. The coke is easily removed and catalyst activity and selectivity restored by controlled, in-situ regeneration. The reactor product stream is separated in a primary distillation so that a crude MMA product stream, free from water, MeP and formaldehyde, is produced. Unreacted MeP and water are recycled via the formaldehyde dehydration process. MMA (>99.9%) is purified by vacuum distillations. The separated streams are returned to the process; there being only a small heavy ester purge stream, which is disposed of in a thermal oxidizer with heat recovered for use in the process.

In , Lucite International commissioned an Alpha MMA plant on Jurong Island in Singapore. This process plant was cheaper to build and run than conventional systems, produces virtually no waste and the feedstocks can even be made from biomass.

Other routes to MMA

Via propionaldehyde

Ethylene is first hydroformylated to give propanal, which is then condensed with formaldehyde to produce methacrolein, The condensation is catalyzed by a secondary amine. Air oxidation of methacrolein to methacrylic acid completes the synthesis of the acid:[10]

CH3CH2CHO + HCHO &#; CH2=C(CH3)CHO + H2O

CH2=C(CH3)CHO +

1

&#;

2

 O2 &#; CH2=C(CH3)CO2H

From isobutyric acid

As developed by Atochem and Röhm, isobutyric acid is produced by hydrocarboxylation of propene, using HF as a catalyst:

CH2=CHCH3 + CO + H2O &#; (CH3)2CHCO2H

Oxidative dehydrogenation of the isobutyric acid yields methacrylic acid. Metal oxides catalyse this process:[10]

(CH3)2CHCO2H + O &#; CH2=C(CH3)CO2H + H2O

Methyl acetylene (propyne) process

Using Reppe chemistry, methyl acetylene is converted to MMA. As developed by Shell, this process produces MMA in one step reaction with 99% yield with a catalyst derived from palladium acetate, phosphine ligands, and Bronsted acids as catalyst:[10]

CH&#;CCH3 + CO + CH3OH &#; CH2=C(CH3)CO2CH3

Isobutylene routes

The reactions by the direct oxidation method consist of two-step oxidation of isobutylene or TBA with air to produce methacrylic acid and esterification by methanol to produce MMA.[10]

CH2=C(CH3)2 (or (CH3)3C&#;OH) + O2 &#; CH2=C(CH3)&#;CHO + H2O

CH2=C(CH3)CHO +

1

&#;

2

 O2 &#; CH2=C(CH3)CO2H

CH2=C(CH3)CO2H + CH3OH &#; CH2=C(CH3)CO2CH3 + H2O

A process using isobutylene as a raw material has been commercialized by Escambia Co. Isobutylene is oxidized to provide α-hydroxy isobutyric acid. The conversion uses N2O4 and nitric acid at 5&#;10 °C in the liquid phase. After esterification and dehydration MMA is obtained. Challenges with this route, aside from yield, involve the handling of large amounts of nitric acid and NOx. This method was discontinued in after an explosion at an operation plant.[10]

Methacrylonitrile (MAN) process

MAN can be produced by ammoxidation from isobutylene:

(CH3)2C=CH2 + NH3 +

3

&#;

2

 O2 &#; CH2=C(CH3)CN + 3 H2O

This step is analogous to the industrial route to acrylonitrile, a related commodity chemical. MAN can be hydrated by sulfuric acid to methacrylamide:

CH2=C(CH3)CN + H2SO4 + H2O &#; CH2=C(CH3)&#;CONH2·H2SO4

CH2=C(CH3)&#;CONH2·H2SO4 + CH3OH &#; CH2=C(CH3)COOCH3 + NH4HSO4

Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals proposed that MAN can be hydrated to methacrylamide without using sulfuric acid and is then esterified to obtain MMA by methylformate.[10]

CH2=C(CH3)CN + H2O &#; CH2=C(CH3)&#;CONH2

CH2=C(CH3)&#;CONH2 + HCOOCH3 &#; CH2=C(CH3)COOCH3 + HCONH2

HCONH2 &#; NH3 + CO

Esterification of methacrolein

Asahi Chemical developed a process based on direct oxidative esterification of methacrolein, which does not produce by-products such as ammonium bisulfate. The raw material is tert-butanol, as in the direct oxidation method. In the first step, methacrolein is produced in the same way as in the direct oxidation process by gas phase catalytic oxidation, is simultaneously oxidized and is esterified in liquid methanol to get MMA directly.[10]

CH2=C(CH3)&#;CHO + CH3OH +

1

&#;

2

 O2 &#; CH2=C(CH3)&#;COOCH3 + H2O

Uses

The principal application, consuming approximately 75% of the MMA, is the manufacture of polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastics (PMMA). Methyl methacrylate is also used for the production of the co-polymer methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS), used as a modifier for PVC. Another application is as cement used in total hip replacements as well as total knee replacements. Used as the "grout" by orthopedic surgeons to make the bone inserts fix into bone, it greatly reduces post-operative pain from the insertions but has a finite lifespan. Typically the lifespan of methylmethacrylate as bone cement is 20 years before revision surgery is required. Cemented implants are usually only done in elderly populations that require more immediate short term replacements. In younger populations, cementless implants are used because their lifespan is considerably longer.[14] Also used in fracture repair in small exotic animal species using internal fixation.

MMA is a raw material for the manufacture of other methacrylates. These derivatives include ethyl methacrylate (EMA), butyl methacrylate (BMA) and 2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate (2-EHMA). Methacrylic acid (MAA) is used as a chemical intermediate as well as in the manufacture of coating polymers, construction chemicals and textile applications.[15]

Wood can be impregnated with MMA and polymerized in situ to produce stabilized wood.

Environmental issues and health hazards

In terms of the acute toxicity of methyl methacrylate, the LD50 is 7&#;10 g/kg (oral, rat). It is an irritant to the eyes and can cause redness and pain.[16][17] Irritation of the skin, eye, and nasal cavity has been observed in rodents and rabbits exposed to relatively high concentrations of methyl methacrylate. Methyl methacrylate is a mild skin irritant in humans and has the potential to induce skin sensitization in susceptible individuals.[18][19]

See also

References

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