What is "methacrylic acid"

n. (context organic compound English) A colourless liquid, an unsaturated organic acid, used in the manufacture of resins and plastics, with the chemical formula CH₂:C(CH₃)COOH.

n. an unsaturated acid (C4H6O2) used to make resins and plastics [syn: 2-methylpropenoic acid]

Methacrylic acid, abbreviated MAA, is an organic compound. This colorless, viscous liquid is a carboxylic acid with an acrid unpleasant odor. It is soluble in warm water and miscible with most organic solvents. Methacrylic acid is produced industrially on a large scale as a precursor to its esters, especially methyl methacrylate (MMA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The methacrylates have numerous uses, most notably in the manufacture of polymers with trade names such as Lucite and Plexiglas. MAA occurs naturally in small amounts in the oil of Roman chamomile.