| HS Code | 259474 |
| Chemical Name | Vinyl Acetate Monomer |
| Chemical Formula | C4H6O2 |
| Molecular Weight | 86.09 g/mol |
| Cas Number | 108-05-4 |
| Iupac Name | Ethenyl acetate |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Purity | ≥ 99.9 wt% |
| Density | 0.932 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Specific Gravity | 0.932 at 20/20 °C |
| Boiling Point | 72.7 °C at 760 mmHg |
| Melting Point | -93.5 °C |
| Flash Point | -8 °C (closed cup) |
| Autoignition Temperature | 427 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 115 hPa at 20 °C |
| Vapor Density | 3.0 (air = 1) |
| Solubility In Water | Slightly soluble (approx. 20 g/L at 20 °C) |
| Refractive Index | 1.3940 at 20 °C |
| Water Content | ≤ 500 ppm |
| Acidity As Acetic Acid | ≤ 50 ppm |
| Color Apha | ≤ 10 |
| Flammable Limits In Air | 2.6% - 13.4% by volume |
| Food Contact Status | Food contact compliant |
As an accredited Formosa Plastics VAM FC Food Contact Compliant Grade factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Formosa Plastics VAM FC Food Contact Compliant Grade is supplied in 200 kg drums, 20-tonne ISO tank containers, or bulk quantities. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | VAM FC grade loaded into 20′ FCL container, ensuring food-contact compliance, safe handling, and secure transport in sealed packaging. |
| Shipping | Ship Formosa Plastics VAM FC (Food Contact Compliant Grade) in clean, dedicated isotanks or drums. Protect from heat, moisture, and ignition sources; maintain inhibitor levels to prevent polymerization. Use food-grade handling equipment, avoid contamination, and follow all local transport and safety regulations. |
| Storage | Store in tightly sealed, labeled containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, sparks, and open flames. Maintain temperature below 30°C (86°F) to prevent polymerization. Keep away from oxidizers, peroxides, acids, and bases. Bond and ground containers during transfer. Use inert gas blanketing for extended storage. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months from manufacture when stored properly in sealed containers, away from heat, moisture, and sunlight. |
Food contact VAM is homopolymerized to polyvinyl acetate gum base fractions by solution polymerization in ethyl acetate at 60–80 °C using a jacketed glass-lined reactor with anchor agitation and peroxide initiation. The monomer charge is 100 wt% VAM-FC, and chain-transfer agent concentration is adjusted to produce polyvinyl acetate fractions with molecular weight brackets accepted under FDA 21 CFR 172.615 for chewing gum base; low-molecular-weight fractions are later plasticized with food-grade glyceryl monostearate at 5–12 wt% of the gum base to control chew resilience and stick. Vacuum stripping in a thin-film evaporator at 0.05–0.15 bar absolute reduces residual vinyl acetate monomer below 10 mg/kg in high-grade gum base resin, because residual VAM contributes to acetaldehyde off-odours during mastication. Downstream compounding operations in the confectionery sector incorporate PVAc at 15–40 wt% of the gum base with elastomers, waxes, calcium carbonate, and emulsifiers in sigma-blade mixers operating at 110–120 °C for 45–90 min; the hot mass is then extruded, sheeted, cooled, and cut into gum pellets or sticks. Compliance instruments for the finished chewing gum include FDA 21 CFR 172.615 for the gum base formulation, plus release specifications for residual vinyl acetate, molecular weight distribution, and heavy-metal content; regional gum base monographs and Codex Alimentarius food additive provisions are applied where polyvinyl acetate is permitted as a masticatory substance. Terminal product types are chewing gum, bubble gum base, and coated chewing gum pellets. The operational limitation is that high-molecular-weight PVAc above the accepted bracket increases elastic memory and tack, causing scoring problems on stick wrapping lines, while very low-molecular-weight grades migrate excessively into lipophilic gum plasticizers and soften the cud during extended chewing.
Formosa Plastics VAM FC Food Contact Compliant Grade, CAS 108-05-4, inhibited with hydroquinone monomethyl ether (HQME) at 3–15 ppm and stored below 25 °C under nitrogen, is metered into high-pressure radical copolymerization as a vinyl acetate comonomer at a reactor feed inclusion of 3–18 wt% to manufacture ethylene-vinyl acetate sealant and extrusion-coating resins for flexible food packaging. The monomer quality specification constrains water below 0.05 wt% and acetic acid below 0.005 wt%, since water accelerates ester hydrolysis and acid interferes with peroxide initiator radicals. Polymerization is conducted in a continuous stirred autoclave at 1,100–1,400 bar and 180–240 °C, with organic peroxide initiation and propylene or aldehyde chain-transfer control; the random incorporation of VA along the ethylene chain reduces crystalline fraction and lowers seal initiation temperature from approximately 110 °C for low-density polyethylene to 70–85 °C at 12–18 wt% VA. Unreacted vinyl acetate is recovered in a high-pressure separator at 0.2–0.4 bar absolute and recycled to the secondary compressor suction, while the molten EVA is finished through a vacuum extruder before pelletization. Film conversion uses a single-screw extruder with L/D 24:1–30:1, die gap 0.8–2.0 mm, melt temperature 190–210 °C, and blow-up ratio 2.0:1–3.0:1 for blown films; extrusion coating lines run melt temperature 210–230 °C and apply 15–40 g/m² of EVA onto paperboard or aluminium foil. Compliance for the finished copolymer is established under FDA 21 CFR 177.1350, which covers ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers for food contact applications, and EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011, with overall migration verified at 10 mg/dm² in food simulants A (10% ethanol), B (3% acetic acid), and D2 (vegetable oil) according to food type and end-use temperature. Terminal product classes include sealant webs in frozen food pouches, bakery overwrap, fresh-produce bags, dairy lidding sealants, and extrusion-coated frozen poultry trays. The operational boundary is the inverse relationship between VA content and barrier properties; above 18 wt% VA, seal performance improves but oxygen transmission increases sufficiently to exclude the resin from monolayer barrier applications.
Vinyl acetate–ethylene dispersion polymerization for food contact laminating adhesives is operated with VAM-FC at 75–85 wt% of total monomer feed and ethylene at 15–25 wt% in a high-pressure reactor at 40–70 bar ethylene partial pressure and 50–80 °C. The process uses a colloid-stabilized seed latex with polyvinyl alcohol or hydroxyethyl cellulose as protective colloid, and redox initiation by tert-butyl hydroperoxide with sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate; this combination avoids metal-ion residues that would otherwise complicate food contact migration testing. Post-reaction steam stripping at 60–70 °C and 0.3–0.5 bar absolute reduces free VAM in the finished dispersion below 0.05 wt%, while final solids are controlled at 55–65 wt% and viscosity at 1,500–6,000 mPa·s for roller or jet application. The adhesive is deposited at 1–4 g/m² dry coat weight for board lamination, side-seam bonding, and film-to-board lamination; pH is held at 4.0–5.0 because alkaline hydrolysis above 6.0 accelerates acetate ester cleavage and produces acetic acid odour in stored cartons. Compliance for food contact adhesive use is evaluated under FDA 21 CFR 175.105 and EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011, with migration testing conducted in 3% acetic acid and 10% ethanol simulants based on the finished carton interior and the adhesive exposure layer. Terminal product types are frozen food carton side seams, kraft paper to paperboard lamination, beverage multipack wraps, paperboard trays, and folding carton closures. The operational limiter is that low-ethylene VAE dispersions form rigid films and lose low-temperature adhesion below 5 °C; raising ethylene content above 25 wt% softens the polymer but increases reactor pressure and demands a higher-pressure ethylene compressor.
Polyvinyl alcohol and ethylene-vinyl alcohol barrier resins are manufactured from VAM-FC by a two-step sequence: vinyl acetate polymerization followed by controlled alcoholysis or interesterification. In methanol solution polymerization, VAM feed at 85–95 wt% of the monomer stream is first converted to PVAc with azo or peroxide initiators at 55–65 °C; for EVOH, ethylene is incorporated into the EVA precursor to achieve 27–44 mol% ethylene in the final copolymer before alcoholysis. The continuous saponification reaction uses sodium methoxide catalyst at 0.2–0.5 mol% of acetyl groups and runs at 40–60 °C in a belt reactor, yielding hydrolysis levels of 88–99 mol%; low-ash grades for barrier films are washed and dried to reduce sodium and catalyst residues below 0.5 wt%. In downstream melt processing, EVOH is coextruded as a discrete core layer at 5–15% of total film thickness between polyolefin or polyester layers, because moisture absorption above 60% RH raises oxygen transmission and destabilizes the barrier contribution. Compliance for the finished barrier structures is verified under FDA 21 CFR 177.1360 for ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers and FDA 21 CFR 177.1670 for polyvinyl alcohol film, with EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 migration testing performed in 10% ethanol and 3% acetic acid simulants. Terminal product types are oxygen-barrier layers in modified-atmosphere poultry and processed-meat films, cheese and sauce pouches, aseptic carton liners, and barrier-coated PET bottles. The process boundary is residual acetyl content: high acetyl content improves melt processability but reduces crystallinity and gas barrier, while fully hydrolysed PVOH requires plasticizer addition and controlled water content to avoid brittle film failure on converting lines.
Food-contact metal can lining resins are produced by copolymerizing vinyl acetate at 10–15 wt% of total monomer with vinyl chloride in a stainless-steel suspension autoclave at 50–70 °C. The VAM-FC feed lowers solution viscosity of the resulting chloride-acetate copolymer and improves adhesion to tinplate and aluminium; steam stripping after polymerization reduces residual vinyl chloride monomer below 1 mg/kg before resin isolation and drying. The dried resin, with K-value 46–58, is dissolved in methyl isobutyl ketone, xylene, and n-butyl acetate blends and crosslinked with phenolic or epoxy resins to form an organosol for reverse-roll or coil coating application at 6–12 g/m² dry film weight. Curing in continuous ovens at 180–205 °C for 8–12 min drives condensation and develops film integrity suitable for direct food contact. Compliance is assessed under FDA 21 CFR 175.300 for resinous and polymeric coatings, and EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 requires migration testing in 3% acetic acid and 10% ethanol simulants with specific attention to vinyl acetate migration from incomplete cure. Terminal product types include drawn-and-ironed can internal sprays, three-piece food can internal lacquers, can end internal enamels, and closure coatings for glass jars. The operational boundary is the vinyl acetate content: above 15 wt%, film becomes softer and may absorb acidic food constituents; below 10 wt%, solubility and aluminium wetting are insufficient for uniform coil application.
Waterborne heat-seal lacquers for dairy and portion-pack lidding are polymerized with VAM-FC at 60–85 wt% of the monomer feed, n-butyl acrylate at 15–40 wt%, and acrylic acid at 1–3 wt% in a semi-batch seeded emulsion process at 75–85 °C. Persulfate initiation and nonionic/anionic surfactant stabilisation produce a latex with particle size 180–250 nm, solids 45–50 wt%, and pH 4.5–5.5; the vinyl acetate-rich composition lowers heat-seal activation to 80–110 °C, which is compatible with high-speed aluminium foil lidding lines. The lacquer is gravure-coated onto aluminium foil or metallised polyester at 2–4 g/m² dry film weight, dried in a hot-air tunnel at 120–160 °C, and later sealed to polystyrene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride containers. Compliance for the coated foil is evaluated under FDA 21 CFR 175.300 and EU Regulation (EC) No 10/2011, with migration testing in 10% ethanol, 3% acetic acid, and vegetable oil according to the food type; residual VAM in the coalesced film is controlled below 2 mg/kg to avoid off-odour in yoghurt packs. Terminal product types are fruit yoghurt lidding foils, butter portion lids, cream cheese portion packs, and aseptic dairy closures. The processing limitation is hydrolysis sensitivity: these VA-rich films should not be exposed to high-acid fillings above 100 °C for extended periods because film softening and ester hydrolysis increase migration of acetaldehyde and acetic acid.
| Application zone | VA addition ratio | Process window | Primary standard designation | Terminal product class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethylene-vinyl acetate sealant and coating resin | 3–18 wt% VAM in monomer feed | 1,100–1,400 bar, 180–240 °C | FDA 21 CFR 177.1350 | Frozen food pouches, dairy lidding sealants, extrusion-coated board |
| Polyvinyl acetate chewing gum base | 100 wt% VAM monomer charge | 60–80 °C, vacuum strip 0.05–0.15 bar | FDA 21 CFR 172.615 | Chewing gum, bubble gum base |
| Vinyl acetate–ethylene food packaging adhesive | 75–85 wt% VAM in monomer feed | 40–70 bar ethylene, 50–80 °C | FDA 21 CFR 175.105 | Paperboard laminates, carton side seams, beverage multipacks |
| Polyvinyl alcohol and EVOH barrier resin | 85–95 wt% VAM in PVAc precursor | Alcoholysis at 40–60 °C | FDA 21 CFR 177.1360, FDA 21 CFR 177.1670 | Gas-barrier films, aseptic carton liners, barrier-coated PET |
| Vinyl chloride–vinyl acetate can lining resin | 10–15 wt% VAM in total monomer | 50–70 °C suspension, cure 180–205 °C | FDA 21 CFR 175.300 | Can internal lacquers, can end enamels, closure coatings |
| Vinyl acetate–n-butyl acrylate heat-seal lacquer | 60–85 wt% VAM in monomer feed | 75–85 °C emulsion, seal 80–110 °C | FDA 21 CFR 175.300 | Foil lidding for yoghurt, butter portions, cream cheese |
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Formosa Plastics VAM FC Food Contact Compliant Grade is a vinyl acetate monomer (CAS 108-05-4) designated for the synthesis of polyvinyl acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and vinyl acetate derivatives intended for food-contact applications. The product designation VAM FC identifies a raw-material control strategy rather than a finished-article compliance certification. End-use compliance under EU Regulation 10/2011 must be demonstrated by migration testing on the final polymer; vinyl acetate is listed in Annex I with a specific migration limit of 12 mg/kg food simulant. Under U.S. food-contact regulations, vinyl acetate may be evaluated in adhesives under 21 CFR 175.105 and in paper and paperboard components under 21 CFR 176.170, subject to extractives limitations and conditions of use. The monomer is supplied with a certificate of analysis covering purity, water, acidity, aldehyde/ketone content, and inhibitor loading. Published data for this specific grade’s exact internal specification limits is limited; the values below represent industrial ranges and should be confirmed against the lot-specific certificate of analysis.
Commodity vinyl acetate monomer is routinely produced to support adhesives, paints, textiles, and non-food polymer applications where trace carbonyl impurities are tolerable. The FC grade is differentiated by tighter control of acetaldehyde and crotonaldehyde, which are the volatile carbonyl species most likely to survive polymerisation and impart off-odour or taint in a finished food-contact article. Acidity as acetic acid is also held to a lower ceiling because free acidity accelerates hydrolysis of vinyl acetate to acetaldehyde and acetic acid during storage and polymerisation; this reaction is temperature- and pH-dependent and can shift molecular weight distribution in solvent-borne polyvinyl acetate. Inhibitor management is a further differentiator. Hydroquinone monomethyl ether is commonly used at 3–12 mg/kg, with dissolved oxygen acting as a co-inhibitor. The FC product is intended to be supplied with inhibitor and oxygen levels that maintain inhibition during normal pumping and storage without leaving excessive MEHQ residues that could later affect polymer colour or adhesion. Non-FC commodity grades may be shipped with wider carbonyl and acidity tolerances, and with inhibitor levels selected for bulk storage stability rather than downstream food-contact migration or organoleptic performance. The distinction is therefore not a change in chemical identity but the reduction of low-molecular-weight impurities that migrate easily from the final polymer matrix.
| Parameter | Typical industrial VAM range | Analytical method | Food-contact relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity | ≥99.9 wt% | GC-FID supplier CoA | Controls volatile by-products |
| Water | 200–1000 mg/kg | Karl Fischer, e.g., ASTM D1364 | Stability, hydrolysis potential |
| Acidity as acetic acid | ≤50 mg/kg | ASTM D1613 | Corrosion, hydrolysis, polymer kinetics |
| MEHQ inhibitor | 3–12 mg/kg | HPLC/UV supplier CoA | Storage stabilisation; residue can affect colour |
| Acetaldehyde and crotonaldehyde | FC grades commonly ≤50 mg/kg total; commodity grades may exceed | Supplier GC-MS or ASTM D2086 | Taint and odour transfer |
| Distillation range | within 72–73 °C at 101.3 kPa | ASTM D1078 | Volatile impurities and product consistency |
These values are not a contractual specification; they are representative industrial control ranges. Formosa Plastics’ certificate of analysis for VAM FC should be consulted for lot-specific release limits, particularly where the final food-contact polymer is produced under a specific EU declaration of compliance or U.S. food additive regulation.
Storage of VAM FC in unlined carbon steel is not recommended because dissolved iron can initiate free-radical polymerisation and impart colour. A 50 m³ stainless-steel 316L tank fitted with a pressure/vacuum breather and an oxygen-nitrogen blanketing system is typical for maintaining the MEHQ-oxygen inhibitor balance. The vapour-space oxygen concentration is usually held at 5–8 vol%; below 2 vol% oxygen, the MEHQ-oxygen inhibitor system becomes insufficient and localised polymer can form at the vapour-liquid interface. Temperature excursions above 30 °C accelerate inhibitor consumption, particularly in uninsulated transfer lines and day tanks. Batch-to-batch variability is most frequently observed after prolonged storage in partially filled tanks, where breathing losses deplete oxygen and allow acetaldehyde to accumulate. Transfer pumps should be low-shear, seal-less, and constructed of 316 or 304 stainless steel; rotary lobe or centrifugal pumps with recirculation can introduce heat and should be avoided unless jacketed and monitored. Published data for this specific grade’s long-term storage stability in all tank configurations is limited.
Certificate-of-analysis parameters for VAM FC are process-control evidence for monomer quality, not a substitute for end-use migration testing. Gas chromatographic purity is normally reported with a lower release limit of 99.9 wt%; however, the remaining 0.1 wt% is not homogeneous, and the distribution of water, methyl acetate, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and heavy ends can differ between production campaigns. Methyl acetate is a common low-boiling impurity that does not necessarily affect food-contact status but can alter polymerisation kinetics if present above 500 mg/kg. Water above 1000 mg/kg can reduce catalyst activity in solvent-borne processes and increase the concentration of acetic acid during storage. The FC designation implies that carbonyl and acid contributors are limited before shipment, but the certificate of analysis remains the only verifiable record of the actual lot. Users should request retention samples and compare CoA data against incoming QC by Karl Fischer and titration before charging polymerisation reactors.
In emulsion polymerisation of vinyl acetate, the FC grade is introduced into a pre-emulsion with polyvinyl alcohol or hydroxyethyl cellulose protective colloid, non-ionic surfactant, and a persulfate initiator. Initiator loading in the range 0.1–0.3 wt% on monomer and a staged temperature ramp from 65 °C to 85 °C are common for balancing molecular weight and residual monomer. The lower carbonyl burden of the FC grade reduces the formation of acetaldehyde-derived colour bodies during the alkaline hydrolysis step in polyvinyl alcohol production. For ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer production, residual vinyl acetate in the dried resin is a direct function of high-pressure devolatilisation and stripper temperature; no monomer purity improvement eliminates the need for mechanical devolatilisation. In twin-screw devolatilisation, a 40:1 L/D extruder with a vacuum vent pressure of 20–30 kPa absolute is often used to strip residual VAM from molten EVA, and the FC grade’s lower low-molecular-weight impurity profile reduces condensed-vent fouling. The FC grade is also used in solvent-borne polyvinyl acetate for chewing-gum bases, where odour and non-rubber impurities are critical; in that application, residual VAM is typically targeted below 5 mg/kg in the finished polymer. Published data for this specific grade’s residual monomer contribution across all reactor configurations is limited.
Even a 99.9 wt% vinyl acetate monomer can generate a non-compliant finished article if the polymerisation process creates new low-molecular-weight species or leaves residual monomer above migration limits. Under EU Regulation 10/2011, the relevant criterion is the specific migration limit of 12 mg/kg for vinyl acetate in food simulant, not the monomer purity percentage. Compliance requires testing of the finished polymer or article under the intended food simulant and time-temperature condition. For aqueous and acidic foods, 10% ethanol and 3% acetic acid simulants may be required; for fatty foods, vegetable oil or 95% ethanol substitutes are used under the applicable simulant assignment. Under FDA, extractives testing for adhesives under 21 CFR 175.105 and paper and paperboard under 21 CFR 176.170 is performed according to the end-use temperature and food type. The FC grade reduces the raw-material contribution of acetaldehyde and other volatiles, but it does not control oligomers, initiator fragments, surfactants, or processing aids introduced downstream.
| Regulatory reference | Relevant scope | Typical end-user verification |
|---|---|---|
| EU 10/2011 Annex I | Authorised monomer with SML 12 mg/kg | Finished article migration testing in food simulants |
| FDA 21 CFR 175.105 | Adhesives | Extractives testing under intended conditions |
| FDA 21 CFR 176.170 | Paper and paperboard components | Water and heptane extractives |
| EC 2023/2006 | Good manufacturing practice | Batch traceability, impurity control, change management |
| REACH | Registration and safe use | Safety data sheet, exposure scenarios |
VAM FC should not be stored with strong acids, strong bases, or amines, as these species can alter pH and disrupt the MEHQ-oxygen inhibition equilibrium. Copper and copper alloys are incompatible because copper ions catalyse oxidative degradation and can promote polymerisation. The monomer is flammable and should be handled under closed-loop transfer conditions. If ambient relative humidity exceeds 60%, moisture ingress through breather vents should be controlled, because water above the CoA limit can accelerate hydrolysis and increase acidity during extended storage. The FC grade is not a final food-contact article and must not be used directly as a food additive or coating without polymerisation and compliance assessment.
