Methyl Acetate(CAS:79-20-9) Bulk Industrial Chemical Supplier - Low Boiling Point Ester Solvent for Coating Solvents, Extractants and Organic Synthesis

Product Overview

Methyl Acetate (CAS 79-20-9; EINECS 201-185-2) is a low-carbon ester made by esterifying acetic acid with methanol. It is also sold as acetic acid methyl ester or methyl ethanoate, and its molecular formula is C₃H₆O₂. We supply it as a colourless, transparent liquid with a pleasant, fruit-like odour, at a minimum purity of 98.0%, produced in Shandong.

What defines this solvent is how quickly it leaves a film. Its boiling point of 57 °C sits below the other common acetate esters, so it evaporates fast and dissolves quickly — the reason it shortens drying time in nitrocellulose lacquers, cellulose acetate films and plastics, printing inks and adhesives. It also breaks down readily in the atmosphere, and its toxicity is relatively low for an industrial ester.

As a specialty chemicals supplier we ship by the container to coating, ink and adhesive plants, to blenders building paint removers and degreasing blends, and to synthesis works that use it as a feedstock. If you are weighing it against a slower ester or a higher-purity grade, the specification table and the performance notes below show where it earns its place — and where it does not.

Specifications

Applications

• Nitrocellulose lacquers: the ester's high volatility shortens flash-off and hard-dry time, so a line can run faster without touching the resin system.
• Cellulose acetate films and plastics: it dissolves cellulose acetate readily and carries it into an even film, which is why it became a standard solvent for this family.
• Printing inks: used to adjust drying speed and flowability so the ink sets cleanly instead of staying tacky on the substrate.
• Adhesives: gives fast-drying adhesive systems a solvent that releases quickly and leaves the bond with little residue behind.
• Paint removers: its solvency softens and lifts cured nitrocellulose coatings, so it appears in stripping formulations as well as in thinners.
• Degreasing and workshop cleaning: cleaning chemicals suppliers use it as the fast-evaporating component in industrial cleaners, because it lifts oil and then leaves the surface dry.
• Chemical intermediate: a starting point for transesterification into other, higher-value esters.

Fast-Drying Performance

Evaporation rate is the whole argument for this ester. At a boiling point of 57 °C it leaves a film far faster than the higher acetate esters, which shortens flash-off, cuts oven dwell time and lets a coating line run faster without changing its solids. Formulators use it to pull drying time down in nitrocellulose lacquers and cellulose acetate systems, and to tune how quickly an ink or an adhesive releases its solvent.

The physical profile supports that. Viscosity is low at 0.40 mPa·s (20 °C), so it wets pigment and substrate quickly and brings a blend to a workable application viscosity without heavy thinning. Acidity is neutral, which matters over acid-sensitive pigments and metal substrates. Evaporation residue is low, so the dried film stays clear instead of hazy or tacky.

Purity is held at 98.0% minimum, with acid value and moisture controlled batch to batch. That is the practical difference between this grade and a higher-purity ester: it delivers the fast-dry performance most coating, ink and adhesive work needs, while tighter grades are reserved for synthesis where the extra assay actually earns its keep.

The same fast flash-off is why it turns up in industrial cleaners and paint-remover blends, where the solvent has to lift the soil and then leave the surface before anything can redeposit.

Where it is not the answer: systems that need a long open time, and formulations where the solvent must stay in the film until the bake. A slower, higher-boiling ester does that job better.

Handling & Storage

1. Treat it as a flammable liquid. The flash point is -10 °C (closed cup), so vapour can ignite at ordinary working temperatures. Keep the area clear of open flames, hot surfaces, sparks and equipment that is not explosion-protected.
2. Ventilate at the point of use. Vapour pressure is 22.6 kPa at 20 °C, so an open drum fills a room quickly. Use local exhaust at decanting and mixing stations and keep bungs and lids closed between draws.
3. Bond and ground during transfer. Static is a real ignition source with a solvent this volatile; earth the drum and the receiving vessel and use conductive hoses and pumps.
4. Wear solvent-resistant PPE. Chemical splash goggles, solvent-resistant gloves and an apron for decanting. Where ventilation cannot be guaranteed, add respiratory protection rated for organic vapours.
5. Store it properly. A cool, well-ventilated, fire-rated store, away from oxidising agents and strong acids or alkalis, on bunded floors, with absorbent to hand and no path to drains.
6. Confirm site requirements before the first delivery. For industrial chemicals manufacturers the questions that matter are storage class, earthing and labelling obligations, and they vary by country and by site — check them against your permit conditions before the drum or tank arrives.

Ordering & Delivery

1. Send us the specification you need. Tell us the application and any figure that must appear on the certificate of analysis; if you are unsure which grade fits, describe what the solvent has to do and we will advise.
2. Confirm the volume. Our standard minimum order is one 20-foot container (20' FCL) per product. If your requirement is smaller, or you want to combine products, raise it with your sales contact and we will confirm what can be arranged.
3. Agree the pack format. Steel drums, plastic drums, IBC tanks, flexitanks and ISO tanks are the configurations we review with buyers; the right choice depends on volume, unloading arrangements and destination, and it is confirmed for each order.
4. Settle the commercial terms. We work primarily on TT (telegraphic transfer) and LC (letter of credit); other arrangements can be discussed for repeat business. Pricing is quoted per order, and volume discounts are negotiated against the quantity you commit to.
5. Plan the shipment. As a specialty chemicals supplier we use professional chemical logistics channels, with transport generally arranged within 14 working days after receipt of the deposit or the original letter of credit — confirm the current schedule with your sales contact when the order is placed.
6. Set a rhythm if you draw steadily. Buyers who take the same grade month after month — coating plants, ink makers and cleaning chemicals suppliers among them — usually agree a delivery schedule up front so material lands ahead of the production run.

Moisture & Equipment Compatibility

• Why dryness matters: methyl acetate hydrolyses in the presence of water, splitting back into acetic acid and methanol. In a sealed drum that reaction is slow; once moisture gets in through an open bung, a damp transfer line or a humid day tank, free acidity climbs and the solvent starts working against you.
• The early warning signs: acidity rising on a re-check, the fruit-like odour sharpening toward vinegar, drying speed falling off or turning uneven across a batch, and higher evaporation residue in the dried film. If a drum has stood open for a while, check acidity before it goes into a critical batch — diverting one drum is far cheaper than scrapping a coating run.
• Keeping drums and lines dry: reseal bungs and lids between draws, transfer through dry pumps and hoses rather than a water-flushed line, and keep day tanks closed in humid or rainy weather. Do not water-flush a line unless you can dry it out properly before the next draw.
• Wet material is harder on metals. The free acid that forms attacks mild steel and can pit it, so keep wetted parts — drum pumps, filter housings, level gauges, dip tubes — in a corrosion-resistant grade, and inspect them after any wet batch has passed through.
• Seals, gaskets and hose linings are where commissioning failures usually start. Ester solvents swell and soften some elastomers, and the effect depends on the specific rubber compound and its cure system rather than on the solvent alone. Diaphragms, pump seals, flange gaskets, sight-glass seals and hose linings all deserve a check before the first bulk delivery.
• Verify rather than assume: soak a spare gasket or an offcut of hose lining in the solvent for a few days at your working temperature, then measure swell, weight change and hardness, and look for softening or blistering. Send us the list of materials in your system and our technical team will tell you which ones to look at first.
• Watch lined hoses and lined pipe as well. Permeation through a liner shows up as a softened outer cover, a solvent smell on the outside of the hose, or a liner that starts to collapse under vacuum — signs the liner grade is wrong for this solvent rather than that the hose is worn out.
• Before the first delivery, write the checklist down: every wetted material, working temperature, contact time, and whether the line is ever flushed with water. For industrial chemicals manufacturers taking this ester for the first time, that list is the cheapest insurance against a seal failure in the first week.

Shandong Wintex: Your Fine Chemicals Partner

• Based in Dongying, Shandong, a leading petrochemical base in China, with park-based facilities, modern plants, automated control systems and integrated utilities for efficient full-process production.
• Focused on the research, development, production and sales of high-value-added fine chemicals.
• A key fine chemical supplier in the Bohai Rim, with substantial capacity to provide stable, premium products and integrated supply chain solutions.
• We go beyond product supply, partnering with customers to solve challenges in sourcing, application and technical support.
• Our "two ends abroad" trade strategy supports steady growth in international trade and global partnerships.
• We uphold the principles of "Safety, Innovation, Win-Win" and continue to invest in the research and development behind our products.

Scale & Supply Capability

Shandong Yingtai Chemical Co., Ltd. operates from Dongying, Shandong, in the heart of China's petrochemical industry and home to the Shengli Oilfield. Our 60,000㎡ park-based facility runs modern plants with automated control systems and integrated utilities, and a team of over 200 people covers R&D, production and sales of high-value-added fine chemicals. We supply seven core chemical categories, backed by stable quality and consistent availability, and work alongside buyers on sourcing, product application and technical support. Custom requirements are reviewed case by case — share your specification and volume and we will confirm feasibility.

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