Acrylic Monomer

Acrylate monomers are based on the basic structure of acrylic acid from which they are derived, that usually consists of a vinyl group with a carboxylic acid group at the terminal, and this forms the basic structure of all acrylate monomers, with the difference being the substituted atoms and groups. These monomers serve as the foundation material for formation of polymeric chains that are at the very core of the molecular chemistry of plastics, and impart them their signature physical and chemical characteristics. Acrylonitrile is one of the most commonly known derivative of polyacrylate monomer wherein the vinyl group is linked to a nitrile group, and thus the eponymous name.

1) It is one of the most fundamental requisites that is used in production of plastics, with a prominent example being the aptly named polyacrylonitrile
2) Produced by catalytic oxidation, it has been found be toxic as well as reactive in lower doses, and thus should be handled with care
3) In the industrial production of acrylamide and acrylic acid, acrylonitrile serves as a precursor in the whole process
4) It is known to undergo explosive explosive polymerization, and has been found to be highly flammable and toxic in lower doses