Butyl Glycol Acetate Definition

Butyl Glycol Acetate (also known as 2-butoxyethyl acetate; ethylene glycol butyl ether acetate; and 2-butoxyethanol acetate) has the chemical formula C8H16O3, and is a clear, colourless to pale yellow liquid.  It has a mild and pleasant ester odour and is only sparingly soluble in water but is miscible with many common organic solvents, for example, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, ethers, glycols, and glycol ethers.  It is this solvent power, combined with its’ low volatility, that sees 2-butoxyethyl acetate employed in many branches of industry. BGA is a low-volatility solvent with very good solvent power for numerous substances in the coatings and chemical downstream industries. It is miscible with many common organic solvents, e. g. alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, ethers, glycols, and glycol ethers, but is only very sparingly soluble with water.

Butyl Glycol Acetate Applications

1. Main use for it is in the coatings industry (more) where it improves the gloss and flow of coatings that are baked at temperatures of 150-200 ^oC.
2. Improves the brushability and flow of cellulose nitrate and cellulose ether lacquers.
3. Good solvent for urethane finishes.
4. Film coalescing aid for polyvinyl latex acetate.
5. Used in in the printing industry where it is a component of flexographic, gravure, and screen-printing inks.
6. Used in dyes that are employed in furniture polishes and wood stains.
7. Employed in the cleaning industry where it is a component in some ink and spot removal formulations.

BGA CHARACTERISTICS

1. Clear
2. Colourless to pale yellow liquid
3. Mild and pleasant ester odour
4. Miscible with many common organic solvents like alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, ethers, glycols, and glycol ethers
5. Only sparingly soluble in water
6. Low volatility