Vinyl acetate is mainly used to produce polyvinyl acetate monomers or polymers, but also has uses in paints, adhesives, textiles, and paper fiber. It is produced by catalyzing acetic acid with ethylene and oxygen, but is highly flammable and volatile. Its demand is increasing in rapidly industrializing nations, and it is considered safe to handle in small quantities but can cause respiratory tract irritation, allergic reactions, and skin irritation in large-scale exposure. It is not sold on the open consumer market and is used to produce ethylene vinyl alcohol, which is used as a barrier resin to coat food packaging.
Vinyl acetate is a chemical precursor most often used in the production of polyvinyl acetate monomers or polymers, similar low to high molecular weight plastic compounds that can be combined to form other plastics. At least 83% of the vinyl acetate generated is used for this purpose in industry, but it also has a wide range of uses as a liquid suspension emulsion polymer in paints and adhesives and in polyvinyl alcohol for textiles and paper fiber . It is also used to produce ethylene-based resins and related acrylic fibers.
A colorless liquid with a strong, sweet odor, vinyl acetate is also often referred to as VAM or vinyl ester of acetic acid. It is a monomer by nature reactive with a wide variety of chemicals and vinyl acetate is produced by catalyzing acetic acid with ethylene and oxygen in a reactor. Because it is highly flammable and volatile, with a low flash point of 17.6° Fahrenheit (-8° Celsius), extreme care must be taken in the storage and transportation of the chemical.
With the rapid industrialization of countries such as China, the demand for vinyl acetate as an industrial compound is increasing by about 3-6% per year since 2011. It is estimated that the global consumption of vinyl acetate per year is between over 9.4 billion pounds (4.3 million tons) and is produced in large capacity in the nations of Brazil, the United States and the Republic of Korea. It is considered an industrial chemical and vinyl acetate is not sold on the open consumer market.
Despite its inherent dangers, vinyl acetate is considered quite safe to handle if its chemical properties are well understood. The Canadian and European Union governments, as of 2009, have concluded that it is not harmful to human health in small quantities. Large-scale exposure, however, can cause respiratory tract irritation, allergic reactions, and eye and skin irritation. Animal studies have found that long-term exposure to high concentrations of vinyl acetate can be carcinogenic.
One of the biggest growth areas for vinyl acetate in rapidly industrializing nations is its use to produce polyvinyl alcohol for use in textile manufacturing and ethylene vinyl alcohol, which is used as a barrier resin to coat food packaging. The use of ethylene vinyl alcohol is on the rise, as it has widespread uses as an effective, non-toxic gas barrier. It works well in retaining the odors and flavors emitted by the food products contained in the package.
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