Butyl Methacrylate shows up in the chemical world as a colorless organic liquid famous for its versatility. It serves many industries, powering coatings, adhesives, and polymers. The chemical formula, C8H14O2, sets it apart and offers a clue to its reactivity. At the molecular level, the structure features a methacrylate backbone with a butyl group attached, which brings flexibility and impact resistance to the end product. The CAS Number, 97-88-1, helps manufacturers and researchers track it across global databases. Its HS Code usually falls under 29161400 for customs and trade purposes, ensuring regulatory clarity.
Butyl Methacrylate usually appears as a clear to slightly yellow liquid, often stored in drums and handled with care in chemical warehouses. The molecular weight stands at 142.20 g/mol. Under normal temperatures, its density rests around 0.89 g/cm3, lighter than water. Unlike calcium chloride or sodium sulfate, it doesn’t form crystals, flakes, powders, or pearls in its standard state. Some may attempt to imagine a solid version, but chilling it below its freezing point (-65°C) won't yield a stable powder—just brittle material with low practical use. It remains a liquid at room temperature and holds its own as a solvent in both commercial and laboratory environments. Stored by the liter, it often carries a sharp, fruity odor that punctuates the air in production sites. The boiling point comes in at 163°C, high enough for practical handling in polymerization but modest compared to heavier monomers.
Purity counts—the typical industrial product ranges from 99.0% to 99.5% purity, allowing minimal water (say, below 0.1%). Manufacturers include inhibitors like MEHQ to guard against hazardous polymerization during storage and transit. A cloudy sample could hint at contamination or hydrolysis, reducing product value and signaling handling lapses. Viscosity falls around 0.8–1.0 mPa.s at 20°C, so it flows easily through pumps and pipes. Technical data sheets mention acid value as a key quality indicator—a spike often flags aging or contact with moisture. If you ever see "material" labeled for specialty applications (medical, dental, coatings), check those certificates of analysis for consistency batch to batch.
Butyl Methacrylate falls under acrylate esters and, like its peers, it loves to polymerize. The double bond in its structure activates under the right catalysts, making it critical for acrylic sheets, impact modifiers, and specialty films. Heat, light, or initiators (like peroxides) spark polymerization, underscoring the need for stabilizers. It’s miscible with common organic solvents—toluene, ethanol, acetone—so cleaning up after spills rates as manageable, given quick action. A little moisture triggers slow hydrolysis, leading to butanol and methacrylic acid, both of which can irritate eyes and skin. Chemists building custom solutions prize its ability to boost flexibility or lower the glass transition temperature in copolymers.
Butyl Methacrylate carries clear warnings. It's flammable—flashes at 42°C—so storage away from heat sources and open flames keeps facilities safe. As a volatile organic compound, vapors can cause headaches, dizziness, or throat irritation, especially in tight spaces. Handling requires gloves, goggles, and respirators; skin contact can prompt allergic reactions with repeated exposure. Inhalation in high concentrations stresses lungs and, in rare cases, damages the nervous system. Emergency showers and good ventilation make a difference on the factory floor. The liquid’s mild aquatic toxicity urges caution with waste management. Spills should never drain to waterways; soak it with sand or inert material and store in chemical waste containers for responsible disposal. Firefighters go for foam, dry powder, or carbon dioxide to douse fires—not water.
Production starts with methacrylic acid and n-butanol in the presence of an acid catalyst. The esterification process, run in closed reactors, ensures control over yield and purity while recycling unreacted materials. Output must meet tight regulatory specs, since traces of unreacted acid or butanol affect downstream properties, especially in precision coatings or medical devices. Reliable producers invest in process analytics, offering customers transparency on batch records and trace contaminants. This chemical underpins a chain of downstream products—paints, adhesives, synthetic rubbers—and choices made at the raw material stage echo through the supply chain.
Managing Butyl Methacrylate risk means strict attention to storage, labeling, and emergency planning—essential in workplaces with rotating staff or open tanks. Training in leak response protects both workers and the environment. Scrutiny from regulators grows every year, which nudges companies to audit their facilities for airborne emissions and solvent recovery rates. R&D efforts could pivot to safer inhibitors or push for bio-based raw materials, addressing concerns about long-term exposure and ecological harm. For end users, clear product labeling and access to robust material safety data sheets give confidence in everyday handling. Supply chain managers watch for reliable traceability, down to each drum or shipment. A culture of safety and innovation makes all the difference, letting Butyl Methacrylate power materials advances without unnecessary harm.
