MEK is a liquid solvent used in surface coatings, adhesives, printing inks, chemical intermediates, magnetic tapes and lube oil dewaxing agents. 

MEK also is used as an extraction medium for fats, oils, waxes and resins.   

It is a highly efficient and versatile solvent for surface coatings.  

Because of its effectiveness as a solvent, MEK is especially valuable in formulating high solids coatings, which help to reduce emissions from coating operations.  

MEK is a natural component of many foods, including apple juice, beans, chicken, honey and a variety of cheeses. Synonyms for MEK are 2-butanone, ethyl methyl ketone, and methyl acetone.

Methyl ethyl ketone appears as colorless fairly volatile liquid with a pleasant pungent odor. Flash point 20°F. Vapors heavier than air. Does not react with water or many common materials. Stable in normal transportation. Irritates the nose, eyes, and throat. Combustion may produce toxic materials. Density 6.7 lb / gal. Used as a solvent, for making other chemicals, and for production of wax from petroleum. 2-Butanone is a manufactured chemical but it is also present in the environment from natural sources. It is a colorless liquid with a sharp, sweet odor. It is also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). 2-Butanone is produced in large quantities. Nearly half of its use is in paints and other coatings because it will quickly evaporate into the air and it dissolves many substances. It is also used in glues and as a cleaning agent. 2-Butanone occurs as a natural product. It is made by some trees and found in some fruits and vegetables in small amounts. It is also released to the air from car and truck exhausts.

Synonyms: 2-Butanone, METHYL ETHYL KETONE, Butan-2-one, Butanone, Ethyl methyl ketone, 78-93-3, Methylethyl ketone, Meetco, Methyl acetone, Methylethylketone, 3-Butanone, Ethylmethylketon, ethylmethylketone, Aethylmethylketon, Butanone 2, Acetone, methyl-, Ethyl methyl cetone, MEK, Ketone, ethyl methyl, Metiletilchetone

INCI: Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)

Chemical Formula: C4H8O

CAS Number: 78-93-3

BUTANONE

2-BUTANONE

3-BUTANONE

ETHYL METHYL KETONE

ETHYL METHYL KETONE {METHYL ETHYL KETONE}

KETONE, ETHYL METHYL

MEETCO

MEK

METHYL ACETONE

METHYL ETHYL KETONE

METHYL ETHYL KETONE (MEK)

Use: MEK is used for solutions of coating, adhesive and ink resins (polyurethane, polyester, acrylic, cellulose, polychloroprene), and for paint stripper formulations. 

MEK's fast evaporation properties make it a good solvent. 

It is a key fluid in formulating polychloroprene adhesives, especially as a replacement for toluene, and is a component of many gravure printing inks.

The primary use of methyl ethyl ketone is as a solvent in processes involving gums, resins, cellulose acetate, and cellulose nitrate. 

Methyl ethyl ketone is also used in the synthetic rubber industry, in the production of paraffin wax, and in household products such as lacquer and varnishes, paint remover, and glues

MEK is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indirect food additive for adhesives and polymers.  

The panel, with the U.S. EPA as the sponsoring organization, prepared the technical support documents for MEK under the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) Voluntary High Production Volume (HPV) chemical review.

METHYL ETHYL KETONE; Ethyl methyl ketone; 2-Butanone; MEK; Methyl acetone

Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)

Physical characteristic: Colorless Liquid

Chemical formula:  C4H8O

Molecular weight: 72,11 g/mol

Type of packaging: Barrel / IBC / Tank

Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK; Other synonyms: 2-butanone; methyl acetone; ethyl methyl ketone; butanone) is a volatile, water-soluble, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor resembling that of acetone. 

Its odor threshold has been reported to be in the range of approximately 0.25 to 0.025 ppm (Krasavage et al. 1982, OHMTADS 1985). 

It is soluble in about four parts water (27.5%) but is less soluble at higher temperatures; it is miscible with acetone, alcohol, ether, and benzene. 

A constant boiling mixture with water, bp 73.4°C, contains 88.7% MEK. 

The melting and boiling points of MEK are -86.35 °C and 79.6°C, respectively; its vapor pressure at 20°C is 70.6 mm Hg. 

The specific gravity of MEK at 20°C/4°C is 0.805 and its vapor density is 2.41 (Air = 1). 

MEK is flammable and its flash point is 16°F or -9°C (Merck Index 1983, Toxicology Data Bank 1985).

Methyl Ethyl Ketone also known as MEK, butanone, 2-butanone, butan-2-one, oxobutane, or methyl acetone is a clear volatile liquid that is soluble in water and has a mild, acetone odour and has the molecular formula C4H8O, CAS: 78-93-3. It has a flash point of -9°C and a specific gravity of 0.81.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone 

Methyl Ethyl Ketone  Chemical Structure Composition.

Production

The main commercial production route for methyl ethyl ketone is through the dehydrogenation of secondary butanol although newer technology involves the direct oxidation of n-butene in solution, using palladium and cupric chlorides as catalysts.

The Chinese market is the main driver for the demand of MEK.

Uses

The majority demand is from the paints and coatings industry as a low viscosity solution can be obtained without it affecting the film properties of the product.  These lacquers are used in the automotive, electrical goods, and furniture industries.

MEK is also used in the manufacture of plastics and textiles, the manufacture of printing inks, and also in rubber-based industrial cements.  It is also used in the chemical industry as it is a precursor to methyl ethyl ketone peroxide which is itself used as a catalyst to initiate the polymerisation of polyester resins used in fibre-glass reinforced products.

ATAMAN CHEMICALS is one of the largest chemical distributor in Europe.

ATAMAN CHEMICALS is handling the storage, transport, export & import formalities of Methyl Ethyl Ketone globally.

MEK is an active & organic solvent. 

It is in a clear, inflammable and liquid form. 

It is in the ketone groups. 

It has a high evaporation rate. 

It is one of the most widely used ketones in the industry.

 

Areas of usage:

It is used in organic synthesis reactions.

It is used in the sectors of paint, coating and detergent.

Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK),[a] is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. 

This colourless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. 

It is produced industrially on a large scale, but occurs in nature only in trace amounts.

It is partially soluble in water, and is commonly used as an industrial solvent.

It is an isomer of another solvent, tetrahydrofuran.

Methyl ethyl ketone appears as colorless fairly volatile liquid with a pleasant pungent odor. 

Flash point 20°F. Vapors heavier than air. Does not react with water or many common materials. 

Stable in normal transportation. Irritates the nose, eyes, and throat. Combustion may produce toxic materials. 

Density 6.7 lb / gal. Used as a solvent, for making other chemicals, and for production of wax from petroleum.

2-Butanone is a manufactured chemical but it is also present in the environment from natural sources. 

It is a colorless liquid with a sharp, sweet odor. It is also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). 

2-Butanone is produced in large quantities. 

Nearly half of its use is in paints and other coatings because it will quickly evaporate into the air and it dissolves many substances. 

It is also used in glues and as a cleaning agent. 2-Butanone occurs as a natural product. 

It is made by some trees and found in some fruits and vegetables in small amounts.

It is also released to the air from car and truck exhausts.

Applications

As a solvent

Butanone is an effective and common solvent and is used in processes involving gums, resins, cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose coatings and in vinyl films.

For this reason it finds use in the manufacture of plastics, textiles, in the production of paraffin wax, and in household products such as lacquer, varnishes, paint remover, a denaturing agent for denatured alcohol, glues, and as a cleaning agent. 

It has similar solvent properties to acetone but boils at a higher temperature and has a significantly slower evaporation rate.

Unlike acetone, it forms an azeotrope with water,making it useful for azeotropic distillation of moisture in certain applications. 

Butanone is also used in dry erase markers as the solvent of the erasable dye.

As a plastic welding agent

As butanone dissolves polystyrene and many other plastics, it is sold as "model cement" for use in connecting parts of scale model kits. 

Though often considered an adhesive, it is actually functioning as a welding agent in this context.

Other uses

Butanone is the precursor to methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, which is a catalyst for some polymerization reactions such as crosslinking of unsaturated polyester resins. 

Dimethylglyoxime can be prepared from butanone first by reaction with ethyl nitrite to give diacetyl monoxime followed by conversion to the dioxime

Butan-2-one; 2-Butanone; Ethyl methyl ketone; Ethylmethylketone; Methyl ethyl ketone; MEK; Methylpropanone; Methylacetone. CAS Number: 78-93-3 

Flammability

Butanone can react with most oxidizing materials, and can produce fires.

It is moderately explosive, requiring only a small flame or spark to cause a vigorous reaction.

Butanone fires should be extinguished with carbon dioxide, dry agents, or alcohol-resistant foam.

Concentrations in the air high enough to be flammable are intolerable to humans due to the irritating nature of the vapor.

Health effects

Butanone is a constituent of tobacco smoke.[16] It is an irritant, causing irritation to the eyes and nose of humans.

Serious health effects in animals have been seen only at very high levels. 

These included skeletal birth defects and low birth weight in mice, when they inhaled it at the highest dose tested (3000 ppm for 7 hours/day).

There are no long-term studies with animals breathing or drinking it, and no studies for carcinogenicity in animals breathing or drinking it: There is some evidence that butanone can potentiate the toxicity of other solvents, in contrast to the calculation of mixed solvent exposures by simple addition of exposures.

As of 2010, some reviewers advised caution in using butanone because of reports of neuropsychological effects.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone 78-93-3

EC / List no.: 201-159-0

CAS no.: 78-93-3

Mol. formula: C4H8O

2-Butanone

3-Butanone

Acetone, methyl-

Aethylmethylketon

Butanone

Butanone

butanone

Butanone 2

butanone; ethyl methyl ketone

Ethyl methyl cetone

Ethyl methyl ketone

ethyl methyl ketone

ETHYL METHYL KETONE (METHYL ETHYL KETONE)

Ethylmethylketon

Ketone, ethyl methyl

Meetco

MEK

Methyl acetone

Methyl ethyl ketone

Metiletilcetona

Metiletilchetone

Metyl ethyl ketone

Metyloetyloketon

Translated names

butanon (cs)

butanon (da)

Butanon (de)

butanon (hr)

butanon (hu)

butanon (nl)

butanon (no)

butanon (pl)

butanon (sl)

butanon (sv)

butanona (es)

butanona (pt)

butanonas (lt)

butanone (it)

butanone; éthylméthylcétone (fr)

Butanoni (fi)

butanons (lv)

butanonă (mt)

butanonă (ro)

butanoon (et)

butanón (sk)

ethyl methyl keton (cs)

ethylmethylketon (da)

Ethylmethylketon (de)

ethylmethylketon (nl)

etil metil keton (sl)

etil-metil şi cetonă (mt)

etil-metil şi cetonă (ro)

etil-metil-cetona (es)

etil-metil-keton (hr)

etil-metil-keton (hu)

etilmetilketonas (lt)

etilmetilketons (lv)

etyl(metyl)ketón (sk)

etylmetylketon (sv)

etyylimetyyliketoni (fi)

etüülmetüülketoon (et)

keton etylowo-metylowy (pl)

metiletilcetona (pt)

metiletilchetone (it)

metyletylketon (no)

metyletylketon (sv)

metyylietyyliketoni (fi)

méthyléthylcétone (fr)

βουτανόνη (el)

μεθυλαιθυλοκετόνη (el)

бутанон (bg)

етил метил кетон (bg)

CAS names

2-Butanone

IUPAC names

2-butanon

2-BUTANONA

2-BUTANONE

2-Butanone

2-butanone

2-Butanone

2-butanone

2-Butanone (Methyl ethyl ketone)

BUTAN-2-ONE

Butan-2-one

butan-2-one

Butan-2-one

butan-2-one

butane ethyl methyl ketone

butane-2-one

BUTANONE

Butanone

butanone

Butanone

butanone

Butanone (MEK)

Butanone / Ethyl Methyl Ketone

butanone ethyl methyl cétone

butanone ethyl methyl ketone

butanone-

butanone/ethyl methyl ketone

Butanone; Ethyl methyl ketone

butanone; ethyl methyl ketone

ethyl methyl

Ethyl methyl keton

ethyl methyl ketona

Ethyl Methyl Ketone

Ethyl methyl ketone

ethyl methyl ketone

Ethyl methyl ketone, MEK, Methyl ethyl ketone

Ethylmethylketon

LINEAR POLYURETHANE

MEK (METHYL ETHYL KETONE), BUTANONE

METHYL ETHYL KETONE

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Methyl ethyl ketone

methyl ethyl ketone

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Methyl ethyl ketone

Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)

Methyl ethyl ketone (TK0012B)

Methyl ethyl ketone, Butanone

Methyl Ethyl KetoneMEKButanone

methyl ketone

Methylethyl ketone

Methylethylketon

methylethylketone

methylethylketone

MethylethylketoneMEK

Reaction mass of ethanol and ethylbenzene and toluene and xylene and Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy arom.

UPV16

Trade names

2-Butanone

2-Butanone (8CI, 9CI)

3-Butanone

Butan-2-one

Butanone

butanone

Ethyl methyl ketone

Exxon MEK

HIROXY KEP-1138M85

MEK

Methyl ethyl ketone

POLYFLON PTFE SM-3900