Proxitol Glycol Ethers: Shell Chemicals
Proxitol Glycol Ethers: Shell Chemicals
Proxitol Glycol Ethers: Shell Chemicals
Shell Chemicals
2
Coatings Electronics
■■ Automotive ■■ Copper Clad Laminating
■■ Industrial Maintenance ■■ Laminates
■■ Architectural ■■ Photoresistors
Aerospace
■■
Other
■■ Speciality Paints
■■ Adhesives
Cleaners & Inks ■■ Pharmaceuticals
■■ All-Purpose ■■ Cosmetics
■■ Oven ■■ Industrial Processes
■■ Industrial ■■ Oil Field Chemicals
■■ Household ■■ Mining Chemicals
■■ Flexographic ■■ Agricultural Chemicals
■■ Screen Printing ■■ Textile & Leather Dyes
Proxitol* Glycol Ethers
Shell Chemicals produce propylene glycol Methyl PROXITOL glycol ether is the methyl
and three glycol ether derivatives in Europe at ether of propylene glycol (PM), and Methyl
Pernis, NL, which are commercially available PROXITOL glycol ether acetate is the acetate
on a global basis. These propylene glycol of the methyl ether of propylene glycol (PMA).
ethers provide alternatives to the ethers of The chemical structures and the names of
ethylene glycols, which are under regulatory technically equivalent products for these
pressures around the world. PROXITOL glycol ether solvents are given in
Figure 1. Shell Chemicals PROXITOL glycol
ether solvents meet or exceed competitor and
industry specifications for these products,
including ASTM Specification D4837 for PM
and ASTM Specification D4835 for PMA.
Figure 1
Names of Technically Equivalent Products
Figure 2
Health, Safety and Environment Comparison
†
ACGIH – American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
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Coatings Applications
The primary market for PROXITOL glycol ethers is within the coatings industry. The variety of
coatings end uses, as well as other markets for PROXITOL glycol ethers are shown in Figure 3.
The PROXITOL glycol ethers solvents have high solvencies and are slow evaporating solvents.
PROXITOL glycol ethers solvents have properties similar to the methyl (EM) and ethyl (EE) ethers
of ethylene glycol and to the acetate of EE (EEA) (Figure 4). Although the PROXITOL glycol
ethers evaporate slightly faster (Figure 5), in most applications PM and DPM can be used
to substitute for EM or EE, and DPM and PMAc can be substituted for EEA; PM and DPM is
compatible with a variety of resins, including epoxies and polyesters, and PMA is also used
extensively with acrylic and urethane resins.
Figure 3
Proxitol Glycol Ethers have multiple end uses
Figure 4
Comparison of Typical Properties
MW Boiling Pt. Flash Pt. Evap. Rate Evap. Time, Density Kg/1
°C (°F) °C (°F) (BuAc = 1) seconds (Lb/gal.)
@ 20°C
PM 90 120 (248) 30 (86) 0.75 600 0.921 (7.69)
PMA 132 146 (295) 45 (113) 0.33 1,410 0.967 (8.07)
DPM 148 191 (376) 79 (174) 0.04 13,000 0.953 (7.95)
EM 76 123 (253) 38 (101) 0.53 884 0.963 (8.04)
EP 104 132 (270) 42 (108) 0.49 960 0.896 (7.48)
EE 90 135 (275) 43 (109) 0.38 1,213 0.929 (7.75)
EEA 132 153 (307) 52 (126) 0.20 2,533 0.972 (8.11)
EB 118 171 (340) 61 (142) 0.08 6,750 0.900 (7.51)
EBA 160 186 (367) 160 (320) 0.03 14,310 0.939 (7.84)
DB 162 230 (446) 110 (230) <0.01 132,000 0.955 (7.969)
Figure 5
Comparison of relative evaporation rates data by ASTM D3539 Shell Thin Film Evaporometer
0.8
Eavaporation rate relatative to nBAc
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
PM PMA EM EP EE EEA EB EBA DPM DB
Glycol Ether
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Chemical Properties
PM is completely water-soluble and is also compatible with many greases, oils and waxes,
which makes PM an excellent coupling agent. The manner in which PM partitions between
an organic and water phase, as shown in Figure 6, can be significant in cleaning applications.
Figure 6
Comparison of Solvency Properties
For further information on PROXITOL Glycol Ethers or any other Shell Chemicals product,
including product technical data sheets, Safety Data Sheets, and contact information, please
visit our website at www.shell.com/chemicals .
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