| HS Code | 618795 |
| Appearance | milky white liquid |
| Viscosity | 100-500 mPa·s at 25°C |
| Solid Content | 50 ± 1% |
| Ph | 4.0 - 6.0 |
| Density | 1.08 - 1.10 g/cm³ at 25°C |
| Average Particle Size | 0.5 - 2.0 μm |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 30°C |
| Minimum Film Forming Temperature | 15°C |
| Freeze Thaw Stability | stable for 5 cycles |
| Mechanical Stability | excellent |
| Film Clarity | transparent when dry |
| Residual Monomer Content | < 0.5% |
| Shelf Life | 12 months in sealed original container |
As an accredited Low Viscosity PVAc Emulsion factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Low Viscosity PVAc Emulsion supplied in 200 kg drums or 1000 kg IBC containers, ensuring safe handling and easy dispensing. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20ft FCL loading: use flexitank or IBCs for Low Viscosity PVAc Emulsion, secure properly, prevent leakage, no hazard. |
| Shipping | Low Viscosity PVAc Emulsion ships as a non-hazardous, water-based adhesive. Protect from freezing and high heat; ideal storage is 5–30°C. Use sealed drums or totes with adequate cushioning to prevent leakage. Avoid prolonged exposure to UV. Standard dry van transport is suitable, with no special hazmat paperwork required. |
| Storage | Store Low Viscosity PVAc Emulsion in tightly sealed original containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Maintain temperatures above freezing, ideally between 5–30°C, to prevent coagulation. Keep away from oxidizers and incompatible chemicals. Use within manufacturer’s specified shelf life, stirring gently before use. |
| Shelf Life | Store at 5–30°C in sealed containers, avoid freezing. Shelf life is typically 12 months from production date. |
In hardwood edge-glued panel manufacturing where EN 204:2016 D3 is the controlling classification, low-viscosity poly(vinyl acetate) homopolymer emulsion is applied by a rubber-covered roller coater at 150–220 g/m² onto beech, oak, or alder lamellas that have been equalised to 8–10% moisture content. Open assembly time is kept below 5 min at 20–25°C on production lines using continuous one-sided application, and the closed assembly window is held between 8–20 min before the lay-up enters a cold platen press at 0.8–1.5 MPa for 15–45 min. Low-viscosity grades in the range 2,000–4,000 mPa·s measured by Brookfield RVT spindle 3 at 20 rpm and 25°C penetrate the opened surface fibres of rotary-knife-planed stock, but on rift-sawn porous substrate the same viscosity can produce starved adhesive joints if the spread drops below 150 g/m². Batch-to-batch variation on actual panel lines is observed as a change in cured glue-line translucency and as a reduction in D3 shear strength when the poly(vinyl alcohol) protective colloid level drifts downward or when the wood surface pH falls below 4.0 in tannin-rich oak. The process limitation is that unmodified low-viscosity PVAc does not meet D4 exterior durability requirements, so components subject to condensation or direct weathering are excluded from this application. Compliance testing for interior joinery is prepared according to EN 205:2016 on beech shear specimens and must meet the D3 retention values after the soak/dry sequence of that standard; published industrial data for individual species and adhesive grades should be confirmed against the current standard edition rather than extrapolated from softwood control data. Finished outputs from this segment are edge-glued furniture panels, interior stair tread blanks, kitchen worktop core laminations, and laminated door stiles and rails, with subsequent machining delayed 24 h after pressing to prevent joint spring-back at the moisture-swollen interface.
Above 45 m/min, spiral and convolute paper core winders shift from flood-roll immersion to single-station direct transfer because low-viscosity PVAc films can be metered at 18–35 g/m² per ply without visible strike-through on kraft liner grades from 70–200 g/m². The adhesive is diluted with water to 35–60% solids and delivered to a polished chrome metering roller; at the ply-contact line the shear rate exceeds 10⁴ s⁻¹, reducing the applied viscosity to 100–300 mPa·s at the wet lap. Mandrel surface temperature is maintained at 40–60°C by resistance or thermal-oil heating, and the wrapped tube passes through a mechanical belt section that consolidates the plies for 5–20 s depending on tube diameter. Converters supplying cores for food packaging films require the dried adhesive film to comply with FDA 21 CFR 176.170 and EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, with residual vinyl acetate monomer kept below the manufacturer’s food-contact specification. In practice low-viscosity PVAc is rejected for spiral cores exposed to wet-end paper mill storage because the acid-stabilised polymer loses strength after repeated moisture cycles above 60% relative humidity. Tube strength after conversion is checked by crush resistance methods in the ISO 11093 series for paper and board cores. The segment output includes spiral-wound film cores, labelstock cores, tape cores, and small-diameter converting spools; convolute tube production for structural mailing tubes uses a separate higher-viscosity grade because low-viscosity PVAc fails to fill the gap between overlapping plies above 2 mm wall thickness.
Rigid box and case-making lines apply low-viscosity PVAc to greyboard by engraved rubber roller at 120–180 g/m² immediately before a nip roller consolidates printed paper, litho-laminated sheet, or book cloth at 0.4–0.8 MPa linear pressure. The wet bond must reach fibre-tearing strength within 10–15 s so that spring-back does not delaminate the turned-in edges before the case enters the stacking station; low-viscosity grades at 1,200–2,500 mPa·s are specified because they level onto the board without strike-through on covering papers as light as 90 g/m². When the laminated stock is intended for board games, children’s book covers, or toy packaging, converters specify EN 71-3:2019 migration of elements from the fully cured case, and export packaging waste compliance is checked under EU Directive 94/62/EC for heavy metal sum limits in the packaging article. The production boundary is stack height and dwell: at spread levels above 180 g/m² on board thinner than 1.5 mm, moisture curl appears within 15 min unless the stacked cases are transferred to press boards or a drying tunnel. The segment output includes book cases, board game trays, rigid luxury boxes, collapsible display trays, and slipcases, with internal joint reinforcement tapes left uncured for 24 h before die-cutting to prevent adhesive smear on the cutting die.
On high-speed folding carton gluers, a rotary wheel applicator lays a side-seam film of 0.15–0.35 mm thickness onto the glue flap at 20–50 g/m², after which the collapsible carton enters a compression belt with a dwell of 0.2–0.5 s before it reaches the stacker. Low-viscosity PVAc must develop sufficient wet tack and fibre-tearing bond within this compressive window; plant data from gluers running 150–350 m/min on 350–450 g/m² solid bleached sulphate board show acceptable side-seam fibre tear when the emulsion has solids of 55–65%, pH 4.0–5.0, and Brookfield viscosity 800–1,800 mPa·s at 25°C. Where the dried adhesive film is separated from dry food by the carton substrate and does not migrate through the board, the converter uses FDA 21 CFR 175.105 as the compliance reference; pharmaceutical secondary packaging operations add changeover purge records and process capability data linked to ISO 9001:2015 batch documentation. The operating limitation on this segment is rotational slinging: emulsions below 800 mPa·s at 25°C are rejected from wheel applicators above 250 m/min, while emulsions above 1,800 mPa·s produce uneven transfer on lightweight carton board with high recycled fibre content. Finished product types include dry food cartons, frozen food cartons, pharmaceutical secondary cartons, and beverage multipack sleeves.
| Downstream segment | Governing designation | Critical condition |
|---|---|---|
| Interior edge-glued wood panels | EN 204:2016 D3 / EN 205:2016 | Beech shear retention after soak/dry sequence |
| Spiral paper tube winding | FDA 21 CFR 176.170 / REACH 1907/2006 | Dried adhesive film in food-contact cores |
| Rigid box case-making | EN 71-3:2019 / EU 94/62/EC | Heavy metal migration from cured laminate |
| Folding carton side seam | FDA 21 CFR 175.105 | Functional barrier of solid bleached sulphate board |
| Pigmented paper coating binder | FDA 21 CFR 176.170 / 176.180 | Aqueous/fatty or dry food contact depending on board type |
| Multi-wall paper sack pasting | FDA 21 CFR 176.170 | Through-dried adhesive film in dry food sack construction |
In lightweight coated paper and folding boxboard, low-viscosity PVAc emulsion is used as a co-binder with starch and SBR latex at 2–8 parts dry PVAc per 100 parts calcined clay or ground calcium carbonate pigment, inside a total binder level of 10–16 parts per 100 parts pigment. The coating colour is applied on a blade coater at 8–18 g/m² per side; blade pressure is held between 8–20 kN/m and machine speed ranges from 600–1,800 m/min, depending on base-paper surface sizing and web tension. PVAc increases dry pick resistance and reduces binder migration into the base sheet, but the acid-stabilised emulsion flocculates in colours containing calcium carbonate once pH rises above 8.5; the formulation is therefore buffered to 7.5–8.2 and the PVAc is metered after the calcium carbonate slurry has been dispersed. Food-contact coated board is controlled under FDA 21 CFR 176.170 for aqueous and fatty foods and 176.180 for dry foods, with optical and surface properties checked against ISO 2470-2 brightness and ISO 8791-2 Bendtsen roughness methods. PVAc alone lacks the wet-rub resistance required in high-fountain-solution offset printing, so its proportion is capped at 30–40% of total synthetic binder in high-moisture print environments. The coated reel is converted into art paper, folding boxboard for cosmetics, pharmaceutical inserts, and coated label facestock.
At the bottomer section of a multi-wall paper sack tuber, cross-bottom pasting uses a transfer roller or doctor bar to lay a 20–45 g/m² film of low-viscosity PVAc onto the gusset fold and bottom patch before the bottom is folded and pressed between compaction rollers for 0.3–1.0 s. The tuber runs at 50–150 sacks/min, and the emulsion is typically used at 50–55% solids with viscosity 1,000–2,500 mPa·s to avoid sling from the bottomer roller and to hold the patch edge flat during transfer. For dry food powder sacks, the converted article is supplied under FDA 21 CFR 176.170 and EU REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006; drop resistance and closure strength of the finished sack are evaluated by the converter’s ISO 7965-1 paper sack drop test programme. Published data for individual bottomer configurations is limited, so adhesive film weight and compression dwell are confirmed by plant trials on the specific tuber rather than by extrapolation from carton gluers. The segment output includes valve sacks for cement, flour, sugar, pet food, seed, and mineral powders; release-lacquered patch surfaces and high-filler ink edges are known incompatibilities that reduce fibre-tearing bond and are excluded from standard low-viscosity PVAc pasting without primer.
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Poly(vinyl acetate) emulsion designated as low-viscosity PVAc is supplied as an aqueous colloidal dispersion with a nominal solids content of 40–45 % and a Brookfield viscosity of 80–150 mPa·s at 25 °C measured according to ISO 2555:2018. Representative product codes include PVAc-LV-40-100, where the first numeric block indicates nominal solids and the second indicates mid-range viscosity; the suffix does not denote a proprietary formulation. Stabilisation is achieved through a poly(vinyl alcohol) or hydroxyethylcellulose protective colloid, giving a pH of 4.5–5.5 per ISO 976:2013, a minimum film-forming temperature of 5–10 °C per ISO 2115:2000, and a glass transition temperature of 28–33 °C by differential scanning calorimetry per ISO 16805:2003. The low-viscosity grade is distinguished from standard homopolymer PVAc emulsions primarily by its shear response and by its wet application weight at equal coaters.
The difference is not solely a dilution of a standard 2500–5000 mPa·s grade. Low-viscosity polymerisation reduces chain entanglement at equal solids; diluting a standard grade to 100 mPa·s typically lowers solids to 25–30 %, increases drying demand by approximately 35–50 % on a mass basis, and may destabilise the protective colloid layer. The low-viscosity product maintains film formation without added coalescing solvent; minimum film-forming temperature remains 5–10 °C when unplasticised. Because viscosity at 25 °C is already in the coating window, the product can be metered directly from the drum with progressive cavity or double-diaphragm pumps without pre-dilution. In paper lamination, a wet coat weight of 50–80 g/m² is sufficient on smooth clay-coated board, whereas a medium-viscosity grade commonly requires 120–180 g/m² to achieve equivalent flow-out under a three-roll nip coater. Published data for direct coat-weight comparisons across all board grades is limited.
Low-viscosity PVAc emulsions are moderately pseudoplastic. Apparent viscosity decreases from 150 mPa·s at 10 s⁻¹ to 65–80 mPa·s at 100 s⁻¹, then approaches a high-shear plateau. The shear-thinning index between 10 s⁻¹ and 100 s⁻¹ is 0.20–0.30 when calculated from power-law fits. This shear response is advantageous in roller transfer because the fluid does not mist at high nip exit speeds; the low extensional viscosity also reduces filament break-up and spatter.
To establish a release criterion, the following specification set is applied. Values are typical release-limit ranges reported in supplier documentation and are not minimum guaranteed values for all end uses.
| Property | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visual inspection in a 250 mL glass beaker | White, free-flowing emulsion |
| Solids content | ISO 3251:2019, 105 °C, 2 h | 40.0–43.0 % |
| Brookfield viscosity | ISO 2555:2018, LV spindle 2, 30 rpm, 25 °C | 80–150 mPa·s |
| pH | ISO 976:2013 | 4.5–5.5 |
| Minimum film-forming temperature | ISO 2115:2000 | 5–10 °C |
| Glass transition temperature | ISO 16805:2003 | 28–33 °C |
| Residual vinyl acetate monomer | ISO 13741-1:1998 | <0.1 % |
| Density | ISO 2811-1:2016 | 1.05–1.09 g/cm³ |
| Median particle size | ISO 13320:2020 | 0.9–1.6 µm |
Batch-to-batch viscosity variation at release is controlled within ±15 mPa·s; pH drift during storage is limited to 0.3 pH units when stored at 25 °C in sealed HDPE drums. Viscosity exhibits a pH-dependent minimum near pH 5.0. Below pH 4.2, the protective colloid contracts and viscosity falls by 10–15 %; above pH 6.5, acetate hydrolysis generates acetic acid and reduces adhesion to aluminium foils. The processing window is therefore held within ±0.5 pH units of the release value.
The median particle size of 0.9–1.6 µm produces a minimum film-forming temperature close to the glass transition temperature. Coalescence is driven by water loss and capillary pressure; for a wet film of 50 µm, a dry film forms in approximately 2–4 min at 23 °C and 50 % RH. The film remains slightly tacky until residual water falls below 5 % by mass.
In curtain coating of paperboard at line speeds above 200 m/min, the emulsion must form a continuous liquid curtain without edge retraction. A low-viscosity PVAc at 80–100 mPa·s experiences shear rates of 1000–5000 s⁻¹ in a slot die and remains below the air-entrainment limit of the curtain. If viscosity exceeds 120 mPa·s at the die temperature, curtain edge retraction occurs at widths above 800 mm. Reported surface tension values are 38–42 mN/m; wetting of polyethylene-coated board requires corona pre-treatment to 38–42 dyn/cm as measured by ASTM D2578-23. Delivery through a positive-displacement pump with a pulsation dampener is preferred over centrifugal pumping to avoid flow oscillations at the filter. Filter mesh of 100–150 µm is placed before the die, with differential pressure maintained below 0.5 bar to avoid shearing the protective colloid.
At bath temperatures above 35 °C, viscosity drift can exceed 30 mPa·s within 4 h due to evaporation from the open coating sump; a water-jacketed supply tank set to 25–30 °C is used to hold the processing window to ±5 °C. Foam entrainment increases when the return flow splashes into the reservoir; the return line is therefore submerged below the liquid surface. The processing window is narrow because the lower viscosity reduces the capillary pressure required for particle coalescence; if the wet film drops below 12 µm, the film can form a discontinuous honeycomb pattern under forced-air drying at 80 °C.
For air-assisted spray application to insulation board, the emulsion is diluted with water by 5–10 % by mass to achieve 30–50 mPa·s at the nozzle. Air pressure of 0.3–0.5 bar and a nozzle orifice of 0.3–0.5 mm produce atomised droplets of 50–150 µm Sauter mean diameter. Because the low-viscosity grade has a fast drying rate on porous fibre, the overspray does not remain wet long enough to bond to oversaturated surfaces.
In bookbinding side-glue and casing-in operations, the low-viscosity grade allows penetration into the spine of uncoated paper. A wheel-pot application at 70–100 mPa·s delivers 40–60 g/m² wet adhesive. Open time under plant conditions of 30–35 °C and 30 % RH is 4–8 s; if open time exceeds 10 s, a fast-set additive or 0.3 % by mass of a water-soluble polymer is added. The pull test uses the specimen configuration of ISO 11339:2010; page-pull values reported for bookbinding formulations are 6–10 N/cm on 80 g/m² uncoated stock.
On high-absorbency substrates such as corrugating medium or uncoated manifold board, the low-viscosity grade penetrates rapidly and can produce strike-through if applied above 80 g/m². Addition of 0.5–1.0 % by mass of a nonionic associative thickener raises viscosity to 300–500 mPa·s without changing solids; such modification is required when the same product is used for edge gluing of corrugated stacks. In wood assembly, the low viscosity alone is insufficient for gap-filling on rough-sawn timber; joint fit must be tighter than 0.2 mm to maintain a bond line below 0.1 mm. Pressing times at 20 °C and 40–60 % RH range from 10–20 min for beech and 20–40 min for oak. The emulsion is not water-resistant in the absence of crosslinking; exposure to water for 24 h causes reversible swelling and bond strength loss exceeding 50 % as measured by ISO 9142:2003 durability sequences.
The low-viscosity grade is not recommended for plasticised PVC film lamination where monomeric phthalate or citrate plasticiser migration can soften the bond within 48 h at 60 °C; a VAE or acrylic dispersion is used for that configuration. The low-viscosity PVAc is also not suitable for exterior exposure because repeated wet-dry cycles reduce fibre-tearing bonds to adhesive failure within 3 cycles in ISO 9142:2003 test sequence D1.
The emulsion is an aqueous dispersion of vinyl acetate polymer. Under FDA 21 CFR 175.105, it may be used as a component of adhesives for food-contact surfaces only when the adhesive is separated by a functional barrier or when migration is below the regulatory threshold. Formulations containing no alkylphenol ethoxylates and no added organic solvents can be specified; residual vinyl acetate monomer is held below 0.1 % to meet common harmonised specification limits, though specific REACH registration dossiers should be verified for each product code. Storage at 25 °C in sealed HDPE drums yields a shelf life of 6 months; storage at 30 °C reduces shelf life to 3–4 months because thickening and microbiological growth accelerate. Freeze-thaw cycles are not tolerated. If the product is frozen, coagulation is generally irreversible. Biocide packages based on 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one at 50–100 ppm are standard. Amine-based neutralisers should not be used above pH 6.0 because they cause hydrolysis of residual acetate groups and increase odour.
Compared with starch/dextrin adhesives, low-viscosity PVAc gives stronger dry bond and better lay-flat after moisture conditioning, but the cost per dry kilogram is typically 2–3 times that of starch/dextrin and removal from recycled paper stock requires a higher pulper temperature. Published data for repulpability in closed-loop mill systems is limited.
Pumping viscosity at plant temperatures below 15 °C increases rapidly, reaching 200–250 mPa·s at 10 °C; drums should be conditioned at 20–25 °C for 24 h before transfer. Stainless steel 316 or HDPE wetted parts are used; carbon steel is not used because the pH 4.5–5.5 causes iron migration and discolouration.
| Property | Low-viscosity PVAc | Standard PVAc | VAE dispersion | Acrylic dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield viscosity at 25 °C (ISO 2555:2018) | 80–150 mPa·s | 2500–5000 mPa·s | 200–2000 mPa·s | 50–500 mPa·s |
| Solids content | 40–45 % | 50–55 % | 52–55 % | 45–55 % |
| Glass transition temperature | 28–33 °C | 28–33 °C | -10–0 °C | -20–40 °C |
| Minimum film-forming temperature | 5–10 °C | 5–15 °C | <0 °C | <0–20 °C |
| Water resistance after 24 h immersion | Limited, reversible swelling | Limited, reversible swelling | Moderate | High |
| Primary processing constraint | Strike-through on porous board | High wet coat weight | Heat creep under static load | Substrate wetting and cost |
Because low-viscosity grades contain a protective colloid rather than a surfactant-stabilised particle shell, the emulsion is more sensitive to shear history. Repeated passes through gear pumps at 50 Hz can reduce viscosity by 10–20 % through irreversible colloid desorption; a diaphragm or progressive cavity pump is therefore specified for circulation loops. On low-grammage papers below 60 g/m², fibre tear can split the sheet rather than the adhesive when the dry coat weight exceeds 18 g/m²; coat weight is reduced to 8–12 g/m² for tissue and label-face lamination. The product is applied without pre-drying at relative humidities up to 60 %; above 60 % RH, open time extends and blocked edges can occur in stacked sheets unless forced-air drying at 35–50 °C is used for 5–10 s.
