Chemicals & Polymers Blog

N-butyl acrylate (BA) is the largest-volume acrylate ester used in the production of all-acrylic, vinyl acrylic and styrene acrylic copolymers.  BA offers price-value and accounts for about 60 percent of the global acrylic ester monomer demand, with a consumption volume of over 2,000 kilo tons.  

For over 45 years, Gantrade has built lasting relationships worldwide, based on our ability to deliver quality products like BA consistently and cost-effectively. Let's take a look at why BA holds a special place in the market for acrylate esters.

2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate (2-EHA ) is a highly versatile building block that readily copolymerizes with a wide variety of other acrylic and vinyl monomers to tailor specific high molecular weight copolymer properties for a diverse range of non-rigid applications.

Adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) is an effective crosslinking agent, curative and hardener.  It is the most common dihydrazide crosslinking agent within a series of dihydrazides such as sebacic dihydrazide (SDH) and isophthalic dihydrazide (IDH).  ADH’s has a melting point of 180 °C and a molecular weight of 174; both are lower than the alternative dihydrazides SDH and IDH.

The Daicel N-series of polyols, offered worldwide by Gantrade, is a family of Innovative, very narrow molecular weight distribution polycaprolactone polyols. Key features and benefits of this unique low MWD series of polycaprolactone polyols for polyurethanes include the following:

Formulators of coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers (CASE), as well as makers of foams and elastic fiber applications, utilize a diverse family of polyols to meet specifications for product performance. These polyols include polytetramethylene ether glycols (PTMEG), polypropylene glycols (PPG), adipate- and phthalate-based polyesters, polycaprolactone polyols, and polycarbonate polyols.

Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol (PTMEG) is the premier polyether polyol used worldwide in the manufacture of high-performance polyurethane elastomers. Known for its many performance attributes and processing advantages, PTMEG is used in a variety of applications across multiple industries. These applications include polyurethane resins, prepolymers, coatings, adhesives, cast polyurethane resins, spandex fibers, and more.

Gantrade Corporation is a leading supplier of PTMEG, with strategic supply for global distribution to Europe, Asia, and North America. For decades, Gantrade has been the supplier of choice to the world’s most technically demanding manufacturers, consistently meeting their needs for high performance polyurethane products.

Water-based acrylic binders meet environmental requirements for the absence of VOCs, in addition to low toxicity and odor.  The diversity of acrylic systems available can be designed to meet binder applications across the spectrum of substrates and printing technologies.  Binders should form films smoothly and easily at ambient temperatures.  Binders can be readily designed that have a range of Tgs and surface hardness, from low Tgs for flexible surfaces to high Tgs for rigid substrates.  The diversity of acrylic monomers and vinyl monomers allow this to be accomplished while meeting other requirements for fast-drying properties, adhesion, water and abrasion resistance, and gloss.  The addition of low levels of isopropanol in ink formulations reduces the surface energy of the system, improving ink leveling, thickness, and density control on plastics.   

The market size for polymeric and resin binders in the global printing ink market was estimated to be over 1,200,000 MT in 2020, with a CAGR of about five percent.  A major driver of this growth comes from the packaging industry, due to increases in consumer spending and online shopping, as well as demand for processed and packaged foods and beverages.  

MPO Glycol Modified Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

Substituting low levels of  2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (MPO) for mono ethylene glycol (MEG) in the PET polymerization process lowers the melting temperature and reduces the degree of crystallinity of PET. 

3D printing is one of the fastest-growing and most transformative fabrication technologies in the modern era, due to the benefits of manufacturing parts with complex geometries, reducing cost and weight, and achieving dimensional accuracy. It’s often the only feasible technology for producing specific, complex parts with intricate details that are simply not possible using conventional manufacturing.