Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM)
Vinyl acetate monomer with the chemical formula C4H6O2 is a chemical compound used as a fundamental precursor for the production of several industrial polymers and resins. This material has a density of 0.934 gr/cm3 and a molecular weight of 86.09 gr/mol. Industrial production of vinyl acetate occurs when oxygen reacts with ethylene and acetic acid in the presence of a palladium catalyst. This material is transparent and colorless in appearance and also has a sharp odor. Due to its unique properties, this compound has a wide range of uses and is in high demand.
VAM’s strong reactivity allows it to easily participate in chemical processes and interact with a wide range of materials and formulations. This adaptability property allows this chemical compound to polymerize with different monomers and create various copolymers with desirable properties. Polymers containing vinyl acetate monomer are practical in adhesive and sealant production due to their strong adhesive property. This substance, as a volatile compound, easily evaporates at room temperature. Additionally, as a volatile compound, evaporates quickly at room temperature and dissolves in most organic solvents but has low solubility in water.
For more information on vinyl acetate prices and ordering methods, you can contact the experts at Petro nour Mehr Company.
Analysis of VAM grades
You can find the list of VAM products in the table below:
VAM Manufacturers Worldwide:
Major Vinyl acetate monomer manufacturers worldwide include:
- Dow Chemical Company (USA): Dow is one of the largest producers of vinyl acetate monomer globally, supplying a wide range of industries with high-quality VAM.
- Celanese Corporation (USA): Celanese is a leading producer of chemicals and specialty materials, including vinyl acetate monomer, serving diverse markets such as paints and coatings, adhesives, and textiles.
- LyondellBasell Industries (Netherlands): LyondellBasell is a multinational chemical company that manufactures vinyl acetate monomer as part of its extensive portfolio of petrochemical and polymer products.
These are some of the prominent manufacturers of vinyl acetate monomer globally, but there are also other regional and local producers contributing to the supply of this important chemical compound.
Advantages and Disadvantages of VAM:
Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a versatile chemical compound with various applications in industries such as adhesives, coatings, textiles, and construction materials. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with VAM:
Advantages:
- Versatility: It serves as a building block for the production of a wide range of polymers and resins, including polyvinyl acetate (PVA), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), and vinyl acetate-ethylene (VAE) copolymers. These polymers have diverse applications in adhesives, paints, textiles, and construction materials, providing flexibility for manufacturers.
- Adhesive Properties: VAM-based adhesives offer excellent adhesion to various substrates such as wood, paper, fabric, and metal. They are widely used in woodworking, packaging, and automotive industries due to their strong bonding characteristics.
- Film-Forming Ability: Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) derived from this material is known for its film-forming properties, making it suitable for applications such as paints, coatings, and adhesives. PVA-based coatings provide good barrier properties, water resistance, and flexibility.
- Compatibility: VAM-based polymers exhibit good compatibility with other chemicals and additives, allowing for the formulation of customized products tailored to specific requirements in various industries.
- Cost-Effectiveness: This material is relatively inexpensive to produce compared to some alternative chemicals, making it a cost-effective option for manufacturers seeking affordable raw materials for their products.
Disadvantages:
- Volatility: It is highly volatile and flammable, posing safety risks during storage, handling, and transportation. Proper safety measures and precautions are essential to mitigate the risk of accidents and exposure to VAM vapors.
- Health Hazards: Prolonged or excessive exposure to VAM vapors can pose health hazards to workers, including irritation of the respiratory system, skin, and eyes. Adequate ventilation and personal protective equipment (PPE) are necessary to minimize the risk of exposure in industrial settings.
- Environmental Impact: This material emissions from industrial processes and products can contribute to air pollution and environmental degradation. Efforts to reduce emissions and improve environmental management practices are essential to minimize the environmental impact of VAM-based products.
- Polymerization Stability: This material is prone to spontaneous polymerization, especially in the presence of heat, light, or impurities. Proper storage and handling procedures are required to prevent unintended polymerization and maintain product quality.
- Regulatory Compliance: VAM and its derivatives may be subject to regulatory restrictions and compliance requirements due to their potential health and environmental risks. Manufacturers must adhere to applicable regulations and standards to ensure safe handling, use, and disposal of VAM-based products.
Overall, while VAM offers numerous advantages in terms of versatility and performance, its use requires careful attention to safety, health, and environmental considerations to minimize associated risks and ensure responsible stewardship throughout the product lifecycle.
Physical and Chemical Properties of VAM:
Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a colorless, flammable liquid with a sweet, fruity odor. Here are some of the key physical and chemical properties of VAM:
Physical Properties:
- Appearance: VAM is a clear, colorless liquid at room temperature.
- Odor: It has a characteristic sweet, fruity odor, which can be detected at low concentrations.
- Density: The density of VAM is approximately 0.932 g/cm³ at 20°C.
- Melting Point: VAM does not have a distinct melting point since it is a liquid at room temperature.
- Boiling Point: The boiling point of VAM is approximately 72.7°C (162.9°F) at standard atmospheric pressure.
- Solubility: VAM is miscible with many organic solvents such as acetone, ethanol, and ether. It is partially soluble in water, with limited solubility due to its polar nature.
- Vapor Pressure: The vapor pressure of VAM is relatively high, with values increasing with temperature.
Chemical Properties:
- Reactivity: VAM is highly reactive and readily undergoes polymerization in the presence of heat, light, or initiators. This polymerization reaction is exothermic and can occur spontaneously if not properly inhibited.
- Polymerization: VAM polymerizes to form polyvinyl acetate (PVA) or copolymers with other monomers such as ethylene or acrylic acid. These polymers have various applications in adhesives, coatings, and textiles.
- Stability: VAM is generally stable under normal storage conditions when properly inhibited to prevent unintended polymerization. Inhibited VAM formulations typically contain stabilizers or inhibitors to prolong shelf life and prevent premature polymerization.
- Flammability: VAM is highly flammable and may form explosive vapor-air mixtures at elevated temperatures. It should be handled with caution and stored away from ignition sources.
- Toxicity: VAM vapors may cause irritation to the respiratory system, skin, and eyes upon exposure. Prolonged or excessive inhalation of VAM vapors may lead to health effects such as headache, dizziness, and nausea.
- Hydrolysis: VAM undergoes hydrolysis in the presence of water to form acetic acid and vinyl alcohol. This reaction is reversible and depends on factors such as temperature and pH.
Overall, VAM exhibits a combination of physical and chemical properties that make it suitable for various industrial applications, but its reactivity and flammability require careful handling and storage to ensure safety and prevent unintended polymerization.
Types of VAM grades:
Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is produced in various grades to meet the specific requirements of different applications. These grades may vary in terms of purity, stability, inhibitor content, and other properties. Some common types of VAM grades include:
- Standard Grade VAM: This is the most commonly produced grade of VAM, suitable for a wide range of applications such as the production of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) resins, copolymers, adhesives, coatings, and emulsions.
- High-Purity VAM: This grade of VAM is characterized by its high purity level, typically exceeding 99%, with minimal impurities. High-purity VAM is often used in applications where stringent purity requirements are necessary, such as in the production of specialty polymers or pharmaceuticals.
- Low-Inhibitor VAM: Inhibited VAM grades contain stabilizers or inhibitors to prevent premature polymerization during storage and transportation. Low-inhibitor VAM grades have reduced levels of inhibitors compared to standard grades, making them suitable for applications where minimal inhibition is required to avoid interference with downstream processes.
- High-Inhibitor VAM: Conversely, high-inhibitor VAM grades contain higher levels of stabilizers or inhibitors to provide extended shelf life and enhanced stability against polymerization. These grades are commonly used in applications where prolonged storage or exposure to heat or light is expected.
- Customized VAM Grades: Some manufacturers offer customized VAM grades tailored to specific customer requirements or applications. These customized grades may be formulated to meet particular purity standards, inhibitor levels, or other specifications based on the end-user’s needs.
Overall, the choice of VAM grade depends on factors such as the intended application, processing requirements, regulatory compliance, and cost considerations. Manufacturers typically provide technical data sheets and specifications for each grade to help customers select the most suitable product for their applications.
Shazand Arak and Bandar Imam Petrochemicals and other domestic factories are producers of this chemical material in Iran.
These units are among the largest Vinyl acetate monomer producers in Iran and play a significant role in supplying domestic needs and exporting this material to global markets.
Vinyl acetate is a monomer that undergoes copolymerization and terpolymerization with other monomers such as ethylene, vinyl chloride, acrylics, and maleates. Numerous industrial and consumer goods are made using these copolymers and terpolymers. Some of these products include:
Adhesives and Sealants Industry:
Vinyl acetate is an essential component and plays a major role in the adhesives and sealants industry. Owing to its exceptional adhesive qualities and ability to adhere to diverse materials, this monomer has emerged as a key option for use in the building, packaging, and woodworking industries. It also forms strong connections when polymerized with other materials to create high-strength adhesives.
Paints and Resins:
When it comes to paints and resins, vinyl acetate helps to improve the quality of colors and coatings because of its remarkable film-forming capacity and compatibility with a wide range of pigments and additives. As a result, coatings with a high resistance to degradation are produced, enhancing the life of surfaces.
Textile Industry:
In the textile industry, polymers containing VAM monomer are utilized to improve properties such as water repellency and softness. These copolymers enhance the durability, softness, and wrinkle resistance of fabrics. Their mechanism of action lies in their ability to adhere to fibers and create a protective layer, thereby improving fabric performance.
Paper Coatings:
In the paper industry, vinyl acetate is used to produce paper coatings. The use of coatings containing vinyl acetate enhances print quality and brings about clearer and livelier images. Additionally, these additional layers also reinforce the paper’s resistance to tearing and lengthen its shelf life.
Other Applications:
- Vinyl acetate monomer is acknowledged as a crucial component in the synthesis of emulsion polymers, which are utilized in paints, adhesives, and textiles.
- This material is utilized in the medical industry to make wound dressings, medical adhesives, and controlled release medication delivery systems.
- Polymers based on this material extend the shelf life of products in food packaging.
- To produce formulations for personal care products that result in stable oil-in-water solutions, VAM’s emulsifying properties are utilized. These emulsions help to raise the caliber and functionality of goods.
- This material is used as a building block to create a variety of polymers with different characteristics. It contributes to the production of Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) copolymers, which are utilized in solar panels, packaging films, and footwear when copolymerized with other monomers like ethylene.
Storage conditions of Vinyl Acetate :
This material is flammable and should be kept in a neutral, dry atmosphere. To accomplish this, tanks should be filled with nitrogen gas. Furthermore, efforts should be taken to protect tanks against incidents, punctures, and abrasions. Tanks should be placed in open areas or in separate buildings with adequate fire suppression and ventilation systems. Tanks should not be in touch with flammable liquids or incompatible compounds such acids, bases, metal oxides, amines, combustible materials, or oxidizers. Tanks must be completely sealed and supplied with pressure release vents. Tanks should also be maintained away from heat and ignition sources such as flames, sparks, and cigarettes.
Packaging of Vinyl Acetate:
This substance is stored in mild steel tanks. These tanks may be new or used. Vinyl acetate can be exported by bulk carriers or tanker trucks.
Drums and closed-head containers are ideal for packing this material. It is usually packaged in drums weighing 230 or 220 kg. Containers should be chosen to avoid leaks, allow for ventilation, and prevent material evaporation. Containers should also be resistant to damage caused during transportation. Make sure there are no combustible elements in the environment when storing items in warehouses. This chemical should be kept in dry, cool, and ventilated warehouses.
This chemical substance is available in liquid form and has various applications in the production of paints, resins, and polymers. To purchase vinyl acetate monomer, you can acquire it at a reasonable price from Petro Nour Mehr Company, a production facility affiliated with Shazand Arak Petrochemical. By contacting us and consulting with our experts, you can make a satisfactory purchase. Petro Nour Mehr Company exports VAM to countries worldwide.
If you intend to buy VAM, you should first become familiar with the characteristics and applications of this chemical compound. To purchase this high-quality material, consider the following points:
- Purchase from a reputable and authorized supplier with necessary certificates and quality assurance.
- Compare prices in different markets and compare them with the global market price.
- Review sales conditions in terms of quantity, delivery time, packaging, transportation method, and payment terms.
- If you plan to import VAM from foreign countries, review customs and legal regulations and comply with export and import regulations.
- Contact Petro Nour Mehr Company to get the most suitable export price based on your conditions.
- After signing the contract, you can place your order.
- Secure and suitable payment will be made according to the customer’s chosen conditions.
- Then, by selecting and introducing a transportation company, the loading stage will be carried out.
- Necessary documents for customs clearance at the destination city will also be provided to customers by Petro Nour Mehr Company.