N-Butyl Acrylate, commonly identified by CAS 141-32-2 and a molecular formula of C7H12O2, fills a crucial spot in everyday industry, even if you never see it in raw form. Factories worldwide, from China to Europe and the US, lean on bulk shipments—200kg drums, tankers, and even totes—of N-Butyl Acrylate (≥99.5%, sometimes up to 99.9%) and Tert-Butyl Acrylate (CAS 1663-39-4, 98% industrial grade). Safety always becomes part of the process, since this clear, colorless liquid brings a flash point of 42°C and a boiling point around 145°C. Each drum carries warning labels with UN2348 printed boldly, but behind those labels: activity that keeps paints smooth, pressure-sensitive adhesives sticky, and waterproof caulks flexible against the weather.
Years of working closely with water-based paint producers shows how N-Butyl Acrylate isn’t a “one size fits all” chemical. Performance shifts between batches produced by global players—BASF, Arkema, LG Chem, Evonik, Sasol—require fine-tuning during formulation. In water-based latex paints, the poly butyl acrylate backbone offers toughness without brittleness, and the presence of functional monomers (sometimes hydroxy butyl acrylate or ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer) lets chemists craft durable yet flexible films. Butyl Acrylate monomer—whether from Nippon Shokubai, Shanghai Huayi, Sanmu Group, Jindawei, or BPCL—turns up in almost every segment of architectural and industrial coatings due to its ability to help level surfaces and improve adhesion, resist yellowing, and contribute to weatherproof performance. In many cases, the presence or absence of MEHQ inhibitor in the supply chain can mean the difference between a stable, shippable drum and a sticky mess.
Ask anyone running adhesive or sealant production lines about sourcing, and they mention N-Butyl Acrylate and its cousins almost immediately. The adhesives market, especially those producing pressure-sensitive tapes for the packaging boom, turns to BA monomer for its fast cure profiles and balance between tack and peel strength. It’s not just about sticking power. By adjusting ratios of N-Butyl Acrylate, Tert-Butyl Acrylate, and compatible comonomers like styrene or butyl methyl acrylate, formulators deliver products that survive both summer heat and freezing transport. The plastics sector benefits as well. Adding poly butyl acrylate as a modifier gives PVC or styrenics flexibility and shock resistance—vital for construction and automotive applications. Industrial suppliers like BASF, Evonik, Arkema, LG Chem meet this demand head-on, supplying technical grade bulk chemicals with extremely tight purity specifications, which prevents unwanted crosslinking and discoloration.
At the same time, coatings for metal, wood, or even textiles use BA-based copolymer emulsions for film strength and stability, especially under UV or sunlight exposure. Textile finishers have told me that using BA monomer mixed with MEHQ-stabilized batches improves runnability on their stenter frames, avoiding sticky buildup. Every supplier—from large-scale exporters in China to regional distributors in Europe—keeps technical and safety data sheets ready, since handling butyl acrylate always means risk management. Quality matters everywhere along the supply chain. If you’ve ever ordered a batch from Arkema or Shanghai Huayi, you know that tiny variations in purity or stabilizer content show up as line stoppages or off-spec product.
Over the last decade, butyl acrylate prices bounced around—driven by upstream propylene prices, environmental regulations, and temporary plant outages. Distributors and buyers tracking daily movements on the Shanghai Futures Exchange or European spot markets see how quickly volatility can bite. A sudden jump from $1300 to over $1900 per ton rattles budget forecasts for manufacturers sourcing bulk butyl acrylate from LG Chem, Nippon Shokubai, or Sasol. Planning means more today than just securing volumes. Responsible procurement includes double-checking for consistent MEHQ inhibitor, compliance with REACH or TSCA, and ensuring packaging (often 200kg drum bulk) fits both environmental needs and cost control.
Many buyers now ask for aerospace-grade or pharmaceutical-grade monomer, filtered to ultra-low levels of residual acid or water content. This reflects a shift: adhesives and coatings touch every market, including those with zero margin for error. I’ve seen production lines in adhesives plants seize up from a single drum with out-of-spec stabilizer levels. The price per drum means less than the lost hours and batch waste for these producers. It’s no longer enough to have commodity chemicals on tap; traceability, digital documentation, and verifiable certificates of analysis give confidence up and down the value stream. Companies like BASF and Evonik back digital platforms for tracking raw material lots, and it’s becoming an industry norm among responsible N-butyl acrylate suppliers and tert-butyl acrylate manufacturers.
Everyone in the chemical sector feels tighter environmental oversight. REACH, GHS labeling, and site audits shape supply chain priorities. When high-purity butyl acrylate monomer moves through ports or warehouses, shippers must manage flammability, leak containment, and exposure controls, especially since BA’s low flash point (42°C) calls for proper storage. Major suppliers—whether Evonik in Germany or Sanmu Group in Asia—invest in closed-loop systems, drum return and cleaning cycles, and staff training. Some now offer partially bio-based BA monomer, pushing towards greener options as pressure mounts on the plastics and coatings sector to reduce fossil feedstock use. On the safety front, more buyers request extra stabilizer or even custom inhibitor packages, allowing longer storage without polymerization risk.
Real progress depends on strong relationships up and down the supply chain. Manufacturers, warehouses, shippers—everyone benefits when batches roll off tank trucks without incident, paperwork moves smoothly, and raw material shows up on time, in-spec. Close communication with industrial-grade exporters or distributors in the N-butyl acrylate market helps anticipate shortages, manage pricing swings, and plan production. For companies with specialized needs, collaborating directly with BASF, LG Chem, or Arkema technical reps can unlock tailored solutions—better compatibility in automotive adhesives, refinements for UV-curable coatings with tert-butyl acrylate (98%, for instance), or polyester dispersions with hydroxy butyl acrylate.
Next-generation coatings, elastomers, and adhesives will keep demand for high-purity monomers strong. E-commerce platforms and digital logistics simplify sourcing for BA monomer with MEHQ inhibitor, N-butyl acrylate ≥99.5% for adhesives, or tert-butyl acrylate 98% for UV curable coatings. Smaller companies gain access to international suppliers; large multinationals invest in green chemistry, safer drum bulk packaging, and polymer innovations like poly n-butyl acrylate latex for plastics modifiers and ethylene butyl acrylate copolymers for flexible films. Sourcing teams share the same daily goal: reliable supply, consistent quality, and options to lighten the burden on the planet, the shop floor, and the end customer.
