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| HS Code | 424501 |
| Product Name | Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate |
| Chemical Name | 1-Methoxy-2-propyl acetate |
| Cas Number | 108-65-6 |
| Chemical Formula | C6H12O3 |
| Molecular Weight | 132.16 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Odor | Mild ester-like odor |
| Boiling Point | 146 °C at 760 mmHg |
| Melting Point | -67 °C |
| Flash Point | 42 °C (closed cup) |
| Autoignition Temperature | 315 °C |
| Density | 0.965 g/cm3 at 25 °C |
| Vapor Pressure | 3.8 mmHg at 25 °C |
| Viscosity | 1.1 mPa·s at 25 °C |
| Refractive Index | 1.402 at 20 °C |
| Solubility In Water | Approximately 20% w/w at 25 °C |
| Evaporation Rate | 0.36 (butyl acetate = 1.0) |
| Surface Tension | 28.5 mN/m at 25 °C |
| Dielectric Constant | 13.5 at 20 °C |
| Purity | Commercial grade typically ≥99.5% |
As an accredited Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in 200 kg drums or 1,000 kg IBC totes, sealed to prevent moisture contamination and ensure safe handling. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Load PGMEA in a 20′ FCL as palletized drums or IBCs, securely braced, kept dry, cool, and away from ignition sources with proper hazard labeling. |
| Shipping | Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate (PGMEA) is a flammable solvent shipped as a Class 3 liquid, typically UN1993. Transport in properly grounded, labeled containers, away from ignition sources and oxidizers. Ensure adequate ventilation and secure packaging to prevent leaks. Follow hazardous materials regulations for road, rail, sea, and air. |
| Storage | Store Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate in tightly sealed, approved containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, sparks, and open flames. Protect from direct sunlight and incompatible materials such as strong oxidizers. Ensure grounding during transfer to prevent static discharge, and inspect containers regularly for leaks or damage. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 2 years when stored sealed in a cool, dry area away from moisture and heat. |
On 200 mm and 300 mm wafer tracks, PGMEA is metered into positive-tone novolac-diazonaphthoquinone resists as the primary solvent at 65–90 wt% of the solvent package, while edge-bead-removal nozzles operate with blends containing 90–100 vol% PGMEA and minor portions of ethyl lactate or 2-propanol. Dispense systems equipped with 0.05 µm rated UPE point-of-use filters and stainless-steel pressure canisters exhibit viscosity drift when coater-cup exhaust extraction removes PGMEA from the resist puddle edge; open-bowl tools with exhaust face velocity set between 0.30 m/s and 0.50 m/s suppress particulate contamination but also concentrate the puddle edge, shifting in-film solvent retention and producing a thicker edge bead that requires a second EBR pass at 200–800 rpm. The downstream production sequence is governed by wafer spin speed from 1,200 rpm to 3,000 rpm, dispense volume of 0.8–2.5 mL for a 300 mm wafer, and final film thickness from 0.8 µm to 2.0 µm, depending on resist solids and PGMEA dilution. Because PGMEA has a flash point near 42 °C when tested by ASTM D56-21a, EBR drainage and waste lines inside the coater are grounded and separated from heated hardbake modules. Cleanroom compliance around the track is typically maintained at ISO 14644-1:2015 class ISO 5, and incoming solvent is controlled against certificate-of-analysis limits for trace metals and particles. The terminal product group comprises logic, DRAM, NAND flash, and image-sensor wafers in which critical-dimension uniformity across a 300 mm substrate is directly dependent on the evaporative profile of PGMEA during the post-dispense, spin-up, and edge-bead-removal sequence.
Fourth-generation and later TFT array processes require a solvent system that maintains viscosity stability in slit-coater reservoirs and suppresses drying-induced striations on glass substrates up to 1,850 mm × 1,500 mm. In colour-filter and black-matrix photoresists, PGMEA is incorporated at 70–85 wt% of the solvent package, with total solids held between 15 wt% and 25 wt% to keep slit-coater gap fluctuations below ±10 µm under cleanroom classification of ISO 14644-1:2015 class ISO 5 to ISO 6. The downstream production sequence includes slit coating at head-to-glass gaps of 50–200 µm, vacuum drying at 5–15 kPa for 30–60 s, hot-plate prebake at 90–120 °C for 90–120 s, and development in 2.38% tetramethylammonium hydroxide developer, after which PGMEA is also used in the rinse stage to control surface tension and reduce pattern collapse in high-aspect-ratio black-matrix pixels. Flash point data are determined by ASTM D56-21a, and the ester solvent is held below 0.10 wt% water content to prevent hydrolysis during long resin-holding batches. Terminal product types include TFT-LCD colour filters, black-matrix layers for mobile and large-format LCD panels, and OLED pixel-defining-layer resists.
High-solids clearcoats based on hydroxy-functional acrylic polyols and partially alkylated melamine crosslinkers use PGMEA as a slow tail solvent at 5–12 wt% of total formulation, corresponding to 10–20 wt% of the total volatile solvent blend, to extend open time and maintain spray-applied film levelling without depressing sag resistance at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity. Robotic application is performed with high-speed electrostatic bell atomizers operated at 55–70 kV and fluid delivery rates of 150–400 mL/min, followed by two-stage flash-off at 20–25 °C for 5–8 min and forced-air bake at 140 °C for 20 min. The ester tail solvent suppresses dry spray at the bell edges but increases retained solvent in thick-film zones above 45 µm dry film thickness, so booth air balance is set with downdraft velocity of 0.3–0.5 m/s and clearcoat viscosity is adjusted to 28–35 s on a DIN 4 cup at 20 °C per DIN 53211. VOC content is measured by ASTM D3960-21 and volatile matter by ASTM D2369-20, with compliance to national automotive refinish solvent limits under 40 CFR Part 59 Subpart B and registration obligations under REACH. Storage stability is limited by the ester linkage: acid-catalysed melamine packages held above 35 °C can slowly hydrolyse PGMEA into propylene glycol ether and acetic acid, shifting catalyst demand and requiring weekly acid-number titration. Terminal products include OEM clearcoats, plastic bumper topcoats, commercial-vehicle refinish clearcoats, and low-bake automotive interior coatings.
When press speeds exceed 300 m/min on polyethylene, biaxially oriented polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate film, temperature-controlled ink pans use PGMEA as a retarding solvent at 4–10 wt% of total ink formulation, or 10–20 wt% of the solvent package, to prevent the surface skinning that would otherwise starve the doctor-blade contact zone. In gravure cells with engraved depth from 20 µm to 50 µm and cell wall angles below 40°, the lower evaporation rate of PGMEA relative to ethyl acetate keeps cell-open time long enough to transfer high-solids polyurethane and nitrocellulose inks; on press, viscosity is held between 18 s and 25 s on a #2 Zahn cup per ASTM D4212-16, and drying tunnels are set at 60–80 °C with air impingement velocity above 20 m/s to limit retained solvent. Fineness of grind is controlled by ASTM D1316-20, while migration limits for printed food packaging are assessed under Swiss Ordinance 817.023.21 and the European Printing Ink Association good manufacturing practice; residual PGMEA is verified by headspace gas chromatography against customer-specific migration ceilings. Terminal product types include flexographic and rotogravure packaging inks for snack film, shrink sleeves, heat-seal lidding, and paper label applications in which slow ester solvents are required to prevent pinhole formation during high-speed transfer.
| Application | Compliance standard / method | Controlled value or condition |
|---|---|---|
| Semiconductor lithography | ISO 14644-1:2015 / ASTM D56-21a | Coater enclosure class ISO 5; flash point 42 °C |
| Automotive refinish coatings | ASTM D3960-21 / ASTM D2369-20 | VOC and volatile matter; viscosity 28–35 s per DIN 53211 |
| Electronics cleaning | IPC J-STD-001H / IPC-TM-650 2.3.25 | Ionic cleanliness <1.56 µg/cm² NaCl equivalent |
| Metal packaging and coil | FDA 21 CFR 175.300 / AAMA 2605-17a | Food-contact extraction compliance; peak metal temperature 232–249 °C |
On high-mix electronics assembly lines, defluxing and stencil-cleaning formulations blend PGMEA at 20–50 wt% with isopropanol, acetone, or methoxypropanol to dissolve rosin-based, no-clean, and water-soluble solder flux residues after reflow; the PGMEA fraction determines the cleaning fluid’s ability to penetrate under 01005 chip components and fine-pitch ball-grid-array packages without excessively rapid evaporation from heated stencil frames. Production-scale understencil cleaning is performed on automatic printer cycles at 25–35 °C with wet-wipe vacuum passes and drying strokes repeated every 5–10 prints, while immersion batch cleaners operate at 40–45 °C and ultrasonic frequencies from 40 kHz to 80 kHz to remove residues from dense via arrays. Ionic cleanliness after cleaning is verified by IPC-TM-650 method 2.3.25 for halide detection and by automated ROSE extraction against the default acceptance limit of 1.56 µg/cm² sodium chloride equivalent in IPC J-STD-001H. The solvent blend is not compatible with acrylic conformal coating, polycarbonate enclosures, or butyl rubber seals; prolonged contact above 30 min at 45 °C can cause swelling of acrylic view panels and gasket extraction, so the cleaner is confined to stainless-steel sumps and dispense lines. Terminal product types include populated printed circuit board assemblies, solder-paste stencils, misprinted boards after rework, and semiconductor lead-frame carriers where ionic contamination must be removed before wire bonding.
In two-piece beverage can and coil lines, high-solids polyester-melamine coatings use PGMEA at 5–15 wt% of total coating formulation, or 15–25 wt% of the volatile phase, to reduce furnace-smoke deposition and maintain flow during reverse-roll application on aluminium and steel strip; line speed is typically 20–50 m/min, with wet-film thickness controlled from 10 µm to 30 µm before a peak metal temperature of 232–249 °C is reached for 30–45 s. The ester solvent evaporates in the multi-zone induction or convection oven before the crosslinking plateau, but residual PGMEA above 0.2 wt% in the cured film at the exit quench can plasticise the melamine network and depress pencil hardness measured by ASTM D3363-22 by one to two grades. Formulation compliance for food-contact can linings is documented under FDA 21 CFR 175.300, architectural coil performance is qualified under AAMA 2605-17a, and VOC content is measured by ASTM D3960-21. The major process limitation is the free acidity of the melamine crosslinker: when acid number exceeds 15 mg KOH/g, hydrolysis of PGMEA in the stored formulation at 25 °C can generate acetic acid and reduce batch pH, shifting amine-blocked catalyst activation and requiring re-addition of tertiary amine stabiliser. Terminal products include beverage can ends, food can internal lacquers, architectural cladding panels, appliance body stock, and metal closures.
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Propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA; CAS 108-65-6; C6H12O3) is a medium-evaporating glycol ether ester solvent with a molecular weight of 132.16 g/mol, a normal boiling point of 146–147 °C at 101.325 kPa, and a closed-cup flash point of 42 °C under ASTM D56. The compound is produced by esterification of propylene glycol monomethyl ether with acetic acid; commercial material consists predominantly of the 1-methoxy-2-propanol acetate isomer, while the 2-methoxy-1-propanol acetate isomer is controlled to low residual concentration in high-purity product models.
Commercially, PGMEA is supplied as technical-grade, urethane-grade, and electronic-grade material. Technical-grade solvent is used in industrial coatings, printing inks, and cleaning formulations, while electronic-grade PGMEA is refined to reduce water, metallic cations, and nonvolatile residues for semiconductor and flat-panel-display photoresist thinning. Urethane-grade solvent may carry lower alcohol and water residuals for polyurethane processing. These model distinctions are primarily analytical, not structural, because the base ester molecule is identical across the grade range.
Electronic-grade PGMEA differs from technical-grade material in the control of water, acidity, color, nonvolatile residue, and trace-metal burdens. The following specification matrix, compiled from publicly available product data sheets and published test methods, summarizes the typical differentiation between technical-grade and electronic-grade product models.
| Parameter | Test Method | Technical Grade | Electronic Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assay as PGMEA | Gas chromatography | ≥ 99.5 area% | ≥ 99.8 area% |
| Water | ASTM E203 | ≤ 0.10 wt% | ≤ 0.05 wt% |
| Acidity as acetic acid | ASTM D1613 | ≤ 0.02 wt% | ≤ 0.01 wt% |
| Color | ASTM D1209 | ≤ 10 Pt-Co | ≤ 5 Pt-Co |
| Distillation range | ASTM D1078 | 145–152 °C | 145–150 °C |
| Nonvolatile residue | ASTM D1353 | ≤ 5 mg/100 mL | ≤ 2 mg/100 mL |
| Chloride | Ion chromatography | ≤ 1 mg/kg | ≤ 0.1 mg/kg |
Water is limited in electronic-grade PGMEA because the acetate ester can hydrolyze to propylene glycol monomethyl ether and acetic acid under acidic or basic catalysis. In positive-tone diazonaphthoquinone/novolac photoresist systems, moisture above 0.05 wt% has been associated with development-rate drift and increased residue after aqueous base development. Point-of-use moisture monitoring by Karl Fischer titration is therefore applied to bulk delivery lines, and 0.05 µm polytetrafluoroethylene membrane cartridges are commonly installed downstream of dispense pumps. Cation contamination is controlled at the single-digit parts-per-billion level because sodium, iron, and calcium can transfer to gate dielectric and indium tin oxide surfaces during spin-coating, developing, or edge-bead removal. Electronic-grade product data sheets frequently specify individual metal concentrations below 10 ppb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, with some flat-panel-display qualifiers tightening sodium and potassium to below 5 ppb.
Production-scale handling of electronic-grade material typically uses nitrogen-blanketed 200 L fluoropolymer-lined stainless-steel drums or stainless-steel isotainers. Reused unpigmented polyolefin containers are generally excluded from high-purity applications because extractable organic residues can raise the effective nonvolatile residue above 2 mg/100 mL. These limits are process qualifiers rather than simple purity targets: the failure threshold depends on photoresist formulation, feature size, substrate cleanliness, and development tool exhaust geometry.
PGMEA has a density of 0.966–0.970 g/cm³ at 20 °C under ASTM D4052, a vapor pressure of approximately 0.49 kPa at 20 °C, and a distillation range of 145–152 °C under ASTM D1078. Dynamic viscosity at 20 °C is commonly reported between 1.1 mPa·s and 1.3 mPa·s under ASTM D445, and surface tension values in published solvent-selector data generally fall between 28.5 mN/m and 29.5 mN/m. The evaporation rate relative to n-butyl acetate is commonly reported as 0.33–0.36 using ASTM D3539, which places PGMEA in the medium evaporating solvent class.
In high-solids polyester-melamine, acrylic-urethane, and coil-coating systems, PGMEA is typically evaluated as a retarder solvent and viscosity-control diluent. At 2–5 wt% of total solvent, the product extends open time compared with butyl acetate and improves flow in spray-applied coatings. At additions above 10 wt% of total solvent, residual PGMEA can become a film-defect contributor if the flash-off interval and oven temperature profile are not adjusted. In a direct-fired coil-coating oven operating at 200–260 °C metal surface temperature, solvent retention is a balance between skin formation, crosslink density, and the lower explosive limit of the exhaust stream. Published safety data sheets commonly report a lower explosive limit for PGMEA in air in the range of 1.3–1.5 vol%, which requires continuous exhaust-rate control rather than passive ventilation in enclosed production lines.
Comparative solvent data relevant to replacement decisions are summarized in the following table.
| Property | PGMEA | Propylene glycol monomethyl ether | n-Butyl acetate | Ethyl lactate | Cyclohexanone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 146 °C | 120 °C | 126 °C | 154 °C | 155 °C |
| Flash point, closed cup | 42 °C | 32 °C | 27 °C | 46 °C | 44 °C |
| Evaporation rate, n-butyl acetate = 1 | 0.34 | 0.70 | 1.0 | 0.28 | 0.30 |
| Vapor pressure at 20 °C | 0.49 kPa | 1.2 kPa | 1.3 kPa | 0.22 kPa | 0.30 kPa |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.966 g/cm³ | 0.919 g/cm³ | 0.882 g/cm³ | 1.03 g/cm³ | 0.945 g/cm³ |
For high-transfer-efficiency spray equipment such as air-assisted airless guns, the slower evaporation of PGMEA relative to n-butyl acetate can reduce orange-peel and dry-spray edge defects, but the same property can increase sagging in thick-film applications if the interval between coats is shortened. The solvent is therefore not a universal substitute for faster ester solvents; it is selected when high solids, longer open time, and adequate electrical grounding are present in the same process window.
A primary difference from ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate and ethylene glycol ethyl ether acetate is regulatory classification. Ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate is classified under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 as a reproductive toxicant in category 1B with hazard statement H360D, while PGMEA does not carry that reproductive-toxicity classification. This difference has led to reformulation in screen-wash, photoresist thinning, and industrial cleaning uses where worker exposure to ethylene-glycol-derived ether acetates is difficult to control. Exact drop-in replacement ratios are not uniform because published formulation data for all resin systems are limited; evaporation-rate matching under ASTM D3539 and solubility screening are required before substitution.
Compared with propylene glycol monomethyl ether, PGMEA contains an acetate ester group that increases solvency for acrylic, epoxy, polyester, and some novolac resins while reducing water miscibility and evaporation rate. The boiling point difference is approximately 26 °C, and the evaporation rate is roughly half that of propylene glycol monomethyl ether. This makes PGMEA more suitable for spin-coating operations that require a slower solvent release profile after resist dispense, particularly in coater-developer tracks with enclosed bowls and point-of-use chemical dispensers. The ester structure also makes PGMEA more susceptible to acidic or alkaline hydrolysis than the parent ether; therefore, storage with water above 0.1 wt% or direct contact with strong base should be avoided.
Ethyl lactate has a similar boiling point and flash point to PGMEA, but it is more water miscible and can hydrolyze to lactic acid and ethanol under heated acidic conditions. In positive-tone photoresist formulations where acid-catalyzed ester hydrolysis must be minimized, PGMEA is often preferred as the carrier solvent, while ethyl lactate may be retained where higher water solubility assists substrate wetting. Cyclohexanone offers stronger solvency for some high-molecular-weight vinyl and acrylic resins and has a comparable boiling point, but its ketone chemistry and odor profile require different hazard controls. PGMEA may replace part of a cyclohexanone blend in edge-bead remover and thinner compositions, but complete substitution is not automatic because resin solution viscosity can shift when the solvent polarity and hydrogen-bonding character change.
In semiconductor and flat-panel-display applications, electronic-grade PGMEA is used as the principal carrier solvent in many positive-tone novolac/diazonaphthoquinone photoresists, as an edge-bead-remover solvent, and as a coater-bowl rinse. Typical production equipment includes enclosed coater-developer tracks with point-of-use dispense pumps, 0.05 µm filtration, and exhaust systems designed to keep vapor concentration below the lower explosive limit. The solvent is also used in thin-film transistor photoresist thinning and in colour-filter and black-matrix formulations. In these applications, trace-metal and water limits are not cosmetic specifications; they are linked to transistor threshold-voltage stability, film adhesion, and residue control after development.
For coating and ink applications, PGMEA is used in formulations for coil coatings, automotive refinish primers, two-component acrylic-urethane topcoats, and some printing-ink systems. In these uses, the solvent is commonly blended with faster esters, ketones, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The dosage is process-dependent: in a two-component acrylic-urethane spray formulation, additions above 5 wt% on total liquid can extend dust-free time and reduce through-cure unless the activation period is managed. In flexographic ink systems, PGMEA can improve resolubility and reduce solvent loss from the ink pan, but excessive amounts can slow drying and increase blocking on high-speed roll-fed presses.
Storage of PGMEA should be in closed, grounded, and bonded equipment because the solvent is classified as flammable liquid category 3 under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 with hazard statement H226. Bulk storage above 40 °C should be avoided, and moisture ingress should be controlled by dry nitrogen padding or desiccant vent dryers. The ester is subject to acid- and base-catalyzed hydrolysis; contamination with acetic acid, mineral acid, or strong alkali can generate propylene glycol monomethyl ether and acetic acid. Carbon steel is generally avoided for long-term storage because iron contamination can accelerate ester degradation and increase trace-metal burden. Electropolished type 316L stainless steel or fluoropolymer-lined carbon steel is commonly used for electronic-grade warehousing, especially where the material is sampled through closed-loop fill systems.
Material compatibility with elastomers also requires attention. Published solvent-resistance data indicate that natural rubber, butyl rubber, and some low-nitrile elastomers swell significantly in PGMEA, while fluoropolymer and high-density polyethylene show lower weight gain. Gasket and seal selection in pump heads and drum-transfer systems should be verified with immersion testing rather than assumed from solvent family data. Published data for long-term exposure of some thermoplastic pump diaphragms to warm PGMEA is limited, so pilot-scale compatibility screening is warranted before permanent pump replacement.
