Glass has done wonders for us for centuries, but the unfortunate part is that it breaks - sometimes very easily. As we all know, picture frames often hold precious memories. It's very sad and sometimes even eerie when the glass on a picture frame breaks - the broken glass somehow changes the way we remember that moment captured in the picture. Thankfully with acrylic signs, broken picture frames can be a thing of the past, and that moment can be preserved exactly as we remember it.
What is Acrylic Glass, Actually?
Acrylic glass, in technical terms is Poly(methyl methacrylate). It's a synthetic polymer of methly methacrylate. Developed in 1928 by chemists such as William Chalmers and Otto Rohm, it first went on the market in 1933, under the trademark "Plexiglas." We've all heard of that right? The polymer has since been marketed under several different names such as Acrylite, Perspex, and Lucite.
Why Does Acrylic Make Such A Great Material To Frame Pictures?
Well, as we hinted at earlier, it's definitely noted for its high impact and high scratch resistance. The polymer is often used in construction of residential and commercial aquariums. Likewise, it's also used for spectator protection in hockey rinks, and police vehicles are often equipped with the material for riot control purposes. So, if it's going to hold up in these extreme circumstances, there's really no question that it'll be sturdy enough to work as a picture frame.
Less Dense Than Glass
Along with its strength, one of the reasons why acrylic is such a great material as opposed to glass, is that it has a density less than half of glass - 1.17–1.20 g/cm3 - this means that it's usually easier to transport and install. Acrylic glass transmits up to 92 percent of visible light at 3 mm thickness. In addition to that, it gives a reflection of about 4 percent from each of its surfaces because of its refractive index. The polymer passes infrared light of up to 2800 nm and blocks IR of longer wavelengths up to 25000 nm.
Environmentally Stable
Another great feature of acrylic glass is that it's environmentally stable, compared to other plastics like polythylene and polystryene. This means that it's a great choice for outdoor usage. If it's strong enough to endure outdoor elements, it's certainly strong enough to hold up in a picture frame on your fireplace mantle.
The Choice Is Clear
In the end, there's just so many reasons to choose acrylic signs to display your pictures, as opposed to an old-fashioned glass frame - It's certainly the clear choice.
