Monomers
Monomers are small molecules, mostly organic, that can join with other similar molecules to form very large molecules, or polymers. All monomers have the capacity to form chemical bonds to at least two other monomer molecules.
Butyl Acrylate (BA)
Butyl Acrylate is an acrylate monomer with a molecular formula of CH2=CHCOO(CH2)3CH3. It is a clear and reasonably volatile liquid which is slightly soluble in water and completely soluble in alcohols, ethers and almost all organic solvents. It is a reasonably flammable liquid with a flashpoint around 40° C and has a distinct fruity, pungent odour. It is easily miscible with other organic solvents and is readily polymerized with monomer molecules to create polymer chains.
Butyl acrylate is primarily used in the production of homopolymers and co-polymers for use in water based industrial and architectural paints. It can also be used in cleaning products, antioxidant agents, enamels, adhesives, textiles, caulks and paper finishes. The double bond reactivity also allows for this product to be used as a chemical intermediary. The primary end user markets of this product would be the water, plastics, leathers, paints, adhesives and textiles industries.
Ethyl acrylate (EA)
Ethyl acrylate is an acrylate monomer with a molecular formula of C5H8O2. It is a clear and volatile liquid which is slightly soluble in water and completely soluble in alcohols, ethers and almost all organic solvents. It is a very flammable liquid (fire hazard rating 3) with a flashpoint of 9° C and has a sharp acrid odour. It is easily miscible with other organic solvents and is readily polymerized with other monomer molecules to create polymer chains.
Ethyl acrylate is primarily used in the production of emulsion-base polymers. Manufacturers produce acrylic resins which can then be used as paints, coatings or latex products. It is mainly used in polyacrylate elastomers, acrylic rubber, textiles, acrylic fibres, leather products and denture materials. It can be used as a coating on most household items such as books, magazines, frozen food packaging, fragrance additive and an adhesive on for envelopes and labels. The primary end user markets are the plastics, leather, paints, packaging, paper and textiles industries.
Methyl Acrylate (MA)
Methyl Acrylate (also known as acrylic acid methyl ester, and methyl 2-propenoate) is an ester of acrylic acid and has the formula C4H6O2. It is a colourless, transparent liquid which has an unpleasant odour. It is found in nature as the volatile component of pineapple. It has slight solubility in water but is completely soluble in alcohols, esters, and many other organic solvents.
Methyl acrylate is a chemical that can be employed across a range of industries as it reacts readily with a wide variety of organic and inorganic compounds. It is therefore a very useful chemical intermediate in a variety of production processes.
One of the major areas that Methyl acrylate is employed in is the production of surface coatings These surface and water-based coatings are found in a range of industries and include the paint industry where Methyl acrylate can be a component of paints and lacquers. This is because methyl acrylate provides good water resistance, low temperature flexibility, and sunlight resistance to products, for example, latex paint formulations.
The textile industry and the leather industry also employ methyl acrylate as a component of coatings. The leather industry uses it to provide different finishes e.g. suede and nubuck, to its products while the textile industry employs methyl acrylate in the manufacturing and finishing of woven and non-woven textiles. The paper industry also uses methyl acrylate in paper coatings, and in the manufacture of paper itself.
Methyl acrylate is also employed in the manufacture of consumer, technical, and construction adhesives. It is also used employed in the manufacture of acrylic and modacyrlic fibres and in the production of plastic film.
Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)
Methyl Methacrylate (also known as MMA, 2-methylmethacrylate, or methyl 2-methyl propenoate) is an ester of methacrylic acid. It has the formula C5H8O2 and is a clear, colourless liquid that has an acrid odour and is not known to occur naturally. It is insoluble in water, but is soluble in most organic solvents and it is also volatile and is flammable in both a liquid and vapour state.
MMA is polymerized to form lubricant viscosity modifiers, dispersions, molding/extrusion powder, and coatings. These are then utilized in the production of such things as acrylic surface and paper coatings, adhesives, sealants, leather and paper coating, inks, textile finishes, latex paints, and lacquer and enamel resins.
MMA is also used in the fields of medicine and dentistry as it is used to make prosthetic devices, surgical bone cements, and as a ceramic filler or cement. It can also be used in the production of orthotic shoe inserts, and in leaded acrylic radiation shields.
Styrene Monomer (SM)
Styrene. It is a colorless liquid with sweet odor. Used in computers, films, packaging, kitchen countertops, medical equipment, synthetic rubber and bathroom applications. Also used in production of expandable polystyrene (EPS), styrene butadiene latex (SBL), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene/terpolymer (ABS), unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).
Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM)
Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a significant intermediate used in the production of a wide range of resins and polymers for paints & coatings, adhesives, glues & sealants, elastomers, textile finishes, paper coatings, binders, films, and a myriad of other industrial and consumer applications. It efficiently homo-polymerizes to polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and VAM can be used in numerous random copolymers and terpolymers such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, vinyl-acrylic resins, vinyl acetate-acrylic acid copolymers, and vinyl acetate-vinyl chloride copolymers. With the wide diversity of polymerization options, VAM has allowed the design of products with a wide spectrum of cost and performance profiles.
