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What is Vinyl Acetate Print this page

What is Vinyl Acetate?

Vinyl acetate is a versatile and economically important chemical with a wide variety of industrial and commercial applications.

Synonyms: Vinyl Ester Acetic Acid
Ethenyl Ester
Vinyl Acetate Monomer
VAM
Ethenyl Acetate
1-Acetoxyethylene
CAS Name Ethenyl Ester
CAS Registry Number 108-05-4
Chemical Formula CH3COOCH=CH2
Chemical Structure

Uses

Vinyl acetate monomer is a chemical building block used to manufacture a wide variety of polymers including: polyvinyl acetate; polyvinyl alcohol; polyvinyl acetals; ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol and several others shown in the table below. VAM-based polymers are commonly used in the production of:

  • plastics
  • films
  • lacquers
  • laminating adhesives
  • elastomers
  • inks
  • water-based emulsion paints
  • adhesives
  • finishing and impregnation materials
    		•
  • paper coatings
  • floor tiling
  • safety glass
  • building construction
  • acrylic fibers
  • glue
  • cosmetics and personal care products
  • textile finishing and non-wovens
    		•

    The table shows several of the end uses for various VAM-based polymers. This information is based on the May 2008 draft EU human health risk assessment for VAM, Canada's May 2008 draft Screening Assessment for VAM, and the US Department of Human Health's Household Products Database.

    Additional Information

    General Properties of Vinyl Acetate, including physico-chemical data

    Health and Environmental Effects