Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a key intermediate used in the making of a number of polymers and resins for adhesives, coatings, paints, films, textiles and other end-products.
The largest derivative is polyvinyl acetate (PVA) which is mainly used in adhesives as it has good adhesion properties to a number of substrates including paper, wood, plastic films and metals. Other uses for PVA include paper coatings, paints and industrial coatings.
The second largest consumer of VAM is polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) which is manufactured from PVA. Main uses for PVOH include textiles, adhesives, packaging films, thickeners and photosensitive coatings.
PVOH is also used in the manufacture of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), a resin that has strong adhesion, clarity and toughness properties. PVB is mainly used in laminated glass for automobiles and commercial buildings by providing the protective and transparent interlayer that is bonded between two panes of glass. It can also be used in coatings and inks.
VAM is consumed in the manufacture of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE). EVA, which has less than 50% vinyl acetate in content, is mainly used for films and wire and cable insulation. VAE, which contains more than 50% vinyl acetate, is primarily used as cement additives, paints and adhesives.
A fast growing use of VAM is the manufacture of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) which is used as a barrier resin in food packaging, plastic bottles and gasoline tanks, and in engineering polymers.
Other VAM derivatives include vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers which have major applications in coatings, paints and adhesives. Polyvinyl formal is used for wire enamels and magnetic tape.
Most end-use markets for VAM are mature and growth in the largest applications are predicted to track GDP growth or slightly below. However, there is stronger growth in EVOH barrier resins, EVA polymers and PVB, although these are smaller volume applications. Overall, world growth for VAM is expected to be 3-6%/year with the strongest growth in Asia, particularly China.
In Europe, the economic slowdown has hit VAM consumption, notably in the paints and adhesives sectors. Europe is a net importer of around 150,000 tonnes/year with most of it sourced from the US.
No new capacity is planned in Europe although Wacker Chemie expanded its German facility by 30,000 tonnes/year to 200,000 tonnes/year in late 2007. In early 2008, INEOS acquired BP’s VAM and ethyl acetate businesses.
In the US, VAM is predicted to grow at 2.5%/year up to 2009. According to ICB, domestic demand will increase from 1.07m tonnes in 2005 to 1.18m tonnes in 2009. Exports from the US fell from 415,000 tonnes in 2004 to 264,000 tonnes in 2005.
With most of the growth in Asia, capacity expansions are planned in the region and the Middle East. In China, Celanese brought on-stream a 300,000 tonnes/year plant in Nanjing in late 2007. Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon has started construction of a 300,000 tonnes/year plant at Chongqing due for completion in late 2009. Other projects are being studied in China.
In Saudi Arabia, Sipchem is proceeding with its 330,000 tonnes/year VAM project at Al-Jubail due for start-up in early 2009.
Other VAM projects being studied include two plants in Iran while India’s Reliance Industries is considering a 300,000 tonnes/year facility in Jamnagar for possible completion in late 2010.
Updated: May 2008. Sources: ICB Chemical Profiles, 26 May 2008 and 24 April 2006.
Vinyl acetate
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Vinyl acetate
Process Technologies
Acetylene-based technology was used first in the commercial production of VAM with the gas phase process preferred to the liquid phase reaction. Ethylene has now become the preferred feedstock with the gas phase route used due problems of corrosion and byproduct formation when using the liquid phase process.
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