| HS Code | 274669 |
| Product Name | BASF VAM Standard HQ |
| Chemical Name | Vinyl Acetate Monomer |
| Cas Number | 108-05-4 |
| Molecular Formula | C4H6O2 |
| Molecular Weight | 86.09 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Purity | ≥ 99.9 wt% |
| Boiling Point | 72.7 °C |
| Melting Point | -93 °C |
| Flash Point | -8 °C (closed cup) |
| Density At 20 C | 0.934 g/cm³ |
| Water Content | ≤ 0.02 wt% |
| Acidity As Acetic Acid | ≤ 0.002 wt% |
| Inhibitor | Hydroquinone, 14-20 ppm |
As an accredited BASF VAM Standard HQ factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | BASF VAM Standard HQ is supplied in 190 kg steel drums, 1000 kg IBC containers, or bulk tank trucks for safe handling. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Load 20-foot FCL with BASF VAM Standard HQ, ensuring secure bracing and proper labeling per chemical transport regulations. |
| Shipping | Ship as UN 1301 Vinyl Acetate, inhibited, Class 3, Packing Group II. Use approved drums, IBCs, or ISO tanks with proper grounding and ventilation. Keep away from heat, sparks, and oxidizers. Label as flammable liquid and handle in accordance with international maritime, air, and road transport regulations. |
| Storage | Store BASF VAM Standard HQ in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, sparks, open flames, and direct sunlight. Keep containers tightly closed and grounded. Avoid contact with oxidizing agents and polymerization initiators. Maintain temperatures within recommended limits to prevent monomer polymerization and use corrosion-resistant equipment. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months from manufacture if stored properly in sealed containers, kept cool, dry, and protected from light and ignition sources. |
BASF VAM Standard HQ enters polyvinyl acetate homopolymer adhesive manufacturing as the primary monomer in a seeded semi-batch emulsion polymerization. The monomer is pre-emulsified with water, partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl alcohol) protective colloid, and an anionic surfactant at a VAM ratio of 40–55 parts per 100 parts of total pre-emulsion; final latex solids are controlled to 50–65 wt%. A redox initiation system composed of ammonium persulfate and sodium metabisulfite is metered at 0.1–0.3 wt% on monomer charge, while reaction temperature is held at 70–85 °C in a baffled jacketed reactor with a retreat-curve impeller operating at 40–80 rpm. The hydroquinone inhibitor present in the monomer requires an initiator offset; a reproducible industrial starting point is an additional persulfate equivalent of 0.03–0.08 wt% of total monomer, adjusted by the observed induction period. Unreacted VAM is stripped at 60 °C under 150–200 mbar until free monomer falls below 0.1 wt% for general adhesive use. Durability of wood-bonding grades is assessed under EN 204:2016, class D3 and D4; T-peel adhesion on packaging films is measured according to ASTM D1876-08. Food-contact packaging adhesives fall under 21 CFR 175.105. The resulting emulsions are sold as furniture-grade white wood glues, paper converting and remoistenable envelope adhesives, and packaging lamination adhesives.
In polyvinyl alcohol production, BASF VAM Standard HQ is first converted into polyvinyl acetate by continuous solution polymerization in methanol. The monomer is fed at 40–60 wt% of the reactor solution, with an azo initiator such as azobisisobutyronitrile added at 0.01–0.1 wt% on VAM; conversion is deliberately limited to 50–75% to control molecular weight and branching. The resulting PVAc solution is stripped of unreacted monomer and then saponified with sodium methoxide or sodium hydroxide at a molar ratio of 0.02–0.10 mol alkali per mol acetate unit. Continuous saponification occurs in a kneader or belt reactor at 35–55 °C; methyl acetate is distilled off and methanol is recovered. Residual hydroquinone introduced with the monomer stream can partition with high-boiling impurities during methanol recovery and is typically removed in the distillation bottoms; inadequate purge leads to yellowing of PVOH films in alkaline media, though published data for this specific BASF grade in this unit configuration is limited. Residual acetyl content and degree of hydrolysis are controlled between 1–25 mol% depending on grade. Food-contact PVOH film grades are specified under EU Regulation 10/2011 and 21 CFR 176.170/176.180 for paperboard components. Downstream conversion yields water-soluble laundry detergent pouches, textile warp-sizing agents, paper coating binders, and suspension stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride suspension polymerization.
In high-pressure tubular and autoclave LDPE plants, BASF VAM Standard HQ is fed as a polar comonomer into the secondary compressor suction at 5–40 wt% of total monomer feed. Typical packaging grades operate at 14–28 wt% VAM, while solar encapsulant and cable-compound grades commonly use 28–33 wt% VAM. Polymerization runs at 1,200–2,600 bar and 140–300 °C, with oxygen or an organic peroxide as the free-radical initiator; chain transfer to propylene or methyl ethyl ketone controls melt flow. The hydroquinone stabilizer is diluted into the recycle ethylene stream and is not normally removed upstream; initiator consumption is therefore adjusted against the exotherm profile rather than a fixed VAM specification, and published data for the exact inhibition response of this specific configuration is limited. High-VAM grades are compounded on twin-screw extruders with an L/D 36:1 screw and pelletized through underwater pelletizers with cooling water held at 10–15 °C to reduce pellet blocking. Melt flow is controlled to 0.3–45 g/10 min when tested under ISO 1133-1:2022 or ASTM D1238-23; food-contact grades are specified under 21 CFR 177.1350 and EU Regulation 10/2011. Extruded and compounded grades are used in frozen food packaging films, extrusion coating for beverage cartons, solar cell encapsulant sheets, footwear foam compounds, and low-voltage wire and cable insulation.
Vinyl acetate-ethylene dispersions with solids of 55–65 wt% are manufactured in high-pressure stirred autoclaves using an ethylene partial pressure of 15–60 bar and a VAM-to-ethylene monomer feed ratio of 70:30 to 95:5 by mass. The reactor is operated at 40–80 °C with a redox initiator; after pressure letdown, the dispersion is transferred to a stripping vessel at 60 °C and 150 mbar and then finished with tert-butyl hydroperoxide/sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate. The hydroquinone stabilizer in the monomer stream is pH-sensitive: at alkaline pH it rapidly oxidizes to quinone species that discolor the dispersion. Process control therefore holds an acetic acid/sodium acetate buffer at pH 4.5–5.5 during stripping and, when neutralization is required, a volatile base is added only after redox finishing. Formulators should avoid amine-based coalescents that push the letdown mixture above pH 8.0 because acetate hydrolysis accelerates acetaldehyde release. Compliance testing relies on the following matrix:
| Standard / Method | Parameter | Industrial Reference Range |
|---|---|---|
| 21 CFR 175.105 | Adhesive component in food-contact laminates | End-use migration testing per intended simulants |
| 21 CFR 176.170 | Paper and paperboard components | Extraction testing under aqueous, fatty, and acidic simulants |
| ISO 3251:2019 | Non-volatile content | 55.0–65.0% by mass |
| ISO 2555:2018 | Brookfield viscosity at 25 °C | 500–4,500 mPa·s |
| ASTM D2196-20 | Rheological characteristics of non-Newtonian dispersions | Shear-thinning flow with thixotropic index 1.5–3.5 |
VAE dispersions are subsequently formulated into building and construction adhesives, carpet backing, ceiling tile binders, tile adhesives, and insulation jacketing adhesives.
Before a VAM-based latex reaches an architectural coating formulation, it is polymerized as a vinyl acetate copolymer with butyl acrylate or vinyl neodecanoate at a ratio of 70–85 wt% VAM to 15–30 wt% softening comonomer. The resulting dispersion is then incorporated into interior paints at a binder loading of 12–25 dry wt% on total formulation, alongside titanium dioxide, extenders, water, and rheology modifiers. High-speed dispersers with Cowles blades grind the pigment phase at tip speeds of 18–25 m/s; final paint pH is held at 8.0–9.5 with ammonia or 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol. Hydroquinone residuals from the monomer are generally consumed during latex redox finishing; any quinone formed at elevated pH can increase yellowing, measured as a displacement of ΔYI under ASTM E313-20. Scrub resistance is evaluated under ISO 11998:2006 and ASTM D2486-17, hiding power under ASTM D2805-11, and low-odor interior products are screened for residual VAM and acetaldehyde by gas chromatography. Interior wall paints, primer-sealers, and ceiling paints are the principal finished product types.
In the production of self-crosslinking nonwoven binders, BASF VAM Standard HQ is copolymerized with acrylic ester monomers and N-methylol acrylamide into an emulsion with a monomer ratio of 50–95 wt% VAM, 5–40 wt% acrylic comonomer, and 1–5 wt% N-methylol acrylamide on total monomer. The polymerization is run as a semi-batch emulsion at 60–80 °C using a redox initiator and an anionic/nonionic surfactant package. The binder is applied to air-laid or wet-laid webs by saturation, foam impregnation, or spray deposition; final add-on ranges from 5–35 wt% on dry web. Thermal crosslinking in a through-air oven at 120–150 °C requires an acid catalyst such as ammonium chloride at 0.3–1.0 wt% on binder solids; when residual hydroquinone is present, catalyst dosage may need upward adjustment because the phenolic inhibitor can interact with redox species during the early stages of cure. Mechanical performance is tested under ISO 9073-3:1989 for nonwoven tensile strength and ASTM D5034-21 for fabric breaking strength. Nonwoven plants convert the cured binder into hygiene absorbent cores, dry and wet wipes, filtration media, and automotive headliner binding. Over-curing above 160 °C should be avoided when acetaldehyde release below sensory thresholds is required.
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Vinyl acetate monomer supplied under the BASF VAM Standard HQ designation is the hydroquinone-inhibited commercial monomer, CAS 108-05-4, EC 203-545-4, molecular formula C4H6O2, molar mass 86.09 g/mol. In this product designation, “Standard” identifies the general polymerisation-grade monomer, while “HQ” identifies hydroquinone as the added radical scavenger. The monomer is released against a specification framework aligned to ASTM D2190, with a typical vinyl acetate assay of ≥99.9 wt% and hydroquinone controlled at 3–7 ppm. The product is a clear liquid at ambient temperature with a normal boiling point of 72.7°C, density 0.932 g/cm³ at 20°C, and vapour pressure 120 hPa at 20°C. The lot-specific certificate of analysis remains the controlling document for exact release values.
Hydroquinone functions as a free-radical scavenger by hydrogen-atom transfer to propagating radicals, and its inhibiting action is oxygen-dependent; the oxidised quinone species are regenerated to the active phenolic form in the presence of dissolved oxygen. This distinguishes Standard HQ from low-inhibitor vinyl acetate monomer, which is supplied with a reduced inhibitor band for polymerisation systems sensitive to phenolic carryover. At the 3–7 ppm HQ level, the molar inhibitor burden is approximately 0.027–0.064 mmol/kg of monomer. The inhibitory effect is sufficient to provide a defined storage-induction period but low enough that many conventional persulfate-initiated formulations can compensate by empirical initiator adjustment. Because hydroquinone partitions strongly into the aqueous phase, its locus of action in emulsion polymerisation is not identical to monomer-soluble inhibitors such as monomethyl ether hydroquinone. Alternative inhibitor packages based on substituted phenols or amines may show different partition coefficients, vapour-phase behaviour, and thermal stability. No single inhibitor concentration is universally transferable across polymerisation recipes; a change from Standard HQ to a low-inhibitor grade should be supported by batch conversion, molecular weight, and induction-time data from the target reactor train.
The following release parameters are representative of BASF VAM Standard HQ. They are not an exhaustive specification; the current BASF technical datasheet and the lot-specific certificate of analysis define the binding values.
| Parameter | Representative limit | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl acetate assay | ≥99.9 wt% | ASTM D2190 / GC-FID |
| Acidity as acetic acid | ≤0.005 wt% | ASTM D1613 |
| Water | ≤0.04 wt% | ASTM D1364 |
| Hydroquinone inhibitor | 3–7 ppm | ASTM D2193 |
| Colour, Pt-Co | ≤5 | ASTM D1209 |
| Distillation range at 101.3 kPa | 71.8–73.0°C | ASTM D1078 |
The water limit of ≤0.04 wt% and acidity limit of ≤0.005 wt% are process-relevant because VAM can hydrolyse to acetaldehyde and acetic acid, and the hydrolysis rate increases under acidic conditions. Excess water therefore contributes to aldehyde formation, while excess acidity consumes alkaline buffers in emulsion formulations and can reduce colloidal stability in vinyl acetate–ethylene dispersions. The narrow distillation range of 71.8–73.0°C at 101.3 kPa provides a distillation-based consistency check, but does not by itself assure trace impurity control. Incoming quality-control laboratories typically verify assay, water, acidity, and hydroquinone on each bulk receipt, with colour measured as an early indicator of oxidative or trace-metal contamination.
The product is classified as a flammable liquid category 2. The closed-cup flash point is -8°C, the vapour pressure at 20°C is 120 hPa, and the lower and upper explosion limits are 2.6 vol% and 13.4 vol%, respectively. Autoignition temperature is reported as 402°C. Vapour density relative to air is approximately 3.0, so released vapour can accumulate in low areas and travel to distant ignition sources. Storage should be maintained below 30°C, away from direct sunlight and ignition sources, with tank venting designed for flammable vapours. Because hydroquinone inhibition is oxygen-dependent, the vapour space of storage vessels should not be inerted with nitrogen unless a specific safety assessment confirms that inhibitor activity is not compromised. Mild steel and stainless steel are typical materials for storage; copper and copper alloys are generally avoided because copper ions can alter inhibitor behaviour and may promote colour formation. Distillation of inhibited VAM can strip the inhibitor from the monomer, so distilled monomer fractions should be re-inhibited before any extended hold time.
In production-scale emulsion polymerisation of polyvinyl acetate homopolymers and vinyl acetate–ethylene copolymers, the monomer is normally metered below the liquid surface of a jacketed stainless-steel reactor operated at 60–85°C and 2–6 bar. Residual HQ from the monomer feed is consumed in a short induction interval, and initiator solutions are therefore fed continuously or semi-continuously rather than as a single charge. Batch-to-batch variation within the 3–7 ppm HQ band can move the onset of sustained polymerisation in redox-initiated or low-temperature emulsion systems. On multi-tonne reactors, this is observed as a shift in the monomer feed-to-conversion relationship and is managed by trimming the persulfate precharge or the initial reaction temperature. High-shear dispersion of VAM into micelles is not required because VAM is partially water-soluble; the polymerisation is usually particle-nucleated by surfactant and persulfate initiator.
For polyvinyl alcohol feedstock, Standard HQ is polymerised in solution, bulk, or suspension, followed by alcoholysis using sodium hydroxide or sodium methylate in methanol. The low water and acidity ceilings reduce catalyst demand and help maintain a controlled degree of saponification. Hydroquinone is water-soluble and is substantially removed in subsequent PVOH washing stages; it does not contribute to polymer colour at the same level as some coloured inhibitors, provided the monomer quality remains within specification. In waterborne adhesives, paper coating binders, and textile finishes, the monomer is co-polymerised with acrylates, VeoVa monomers, or ethylene; the commercial release values for acidity and water are used as incoming quality-control gates because these parameters affect dispersion stability, pH drift, and thickening behaviour.
If the target polymerisation is initiated at ambient temperature with a redox couple such as persulfate–metabisulfite or peroxide–ascorbic acid, the induction demand imposed by HQ is more pronounced than in thermal persulfate systems. At the upper end of the Standard HQ range, 7 ppm hydroquinone corresponds to approximately 0.064 mmol/kg of monomer, which can consume a measurable fraction of the initial radical flux in a low-temperature initiation system. At 3 ppm, the effect is usually small but remains formulation-dependent. The following comparison is a qualitative decision matrix, not a kinetic model.
| Operating condition | Standard HQ | Reduced-inhibitor/low-HQ VAM |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroquinone content | 3–7 ppm | Supplier-specific, typically below the Standard HQ band |
| Storage stability at 25°C | Extended if oxygen access is maintained | Shorter safe storage window under identical oxygen access |
| Redox-initiated polymerisation | Requires larger initiator precharge and induction-time verification | Lower inhibitor demand, reduced induction period |
| Downstream colour risk | Controlled by ≤5 Pt-Co monomer and 3–7 ppm HQ | Lower phenolic carryover, but monomer colour and acidity must still be controlled |
For applications requiring a lower phenolic burden, a reduced-inhibitor or low-HQ vinyl acetate monomer may be evaluated against the specific initiation system. The Standard HQ grade should not be used in formulations that are incompatible with any hydroquinone carryover, such as catalyst systems containing highly oxidising metal complexes or amine co-initiators that can form coloured quinone species. In such cases, laboratory conversion profiles should be generated with the specific lot before scale-up, because the interaction between initiator flux, inhibitor consumption, and reactor heat removal cannot be predicted from monomer assay alone.
In polyvinyl alcohol production, the monomer assay, water, and acidity are more influential than inhibitor concentration, because alcoholysis catalysts are strongly deactivated by water and acetic acid. The Standard HQ monomer is typically acceptable for PVOH when catalyst mole ratios are calculated from the acid and water values on the certificate of analysis. Trace carbonyl components outside the distillation range are monitored by GC; published data for lot-to-lot variation in these trace components is limited, so incoming validation by the polymerisation plant remains necessary. The product should be sampled after bulk transfer and the hydroquinone value confirmed before large-volume polymerisation, especially when the receiving system operates below 50°C with redox initiation.
