Butanone

Methyl ethyl ketone (also known as MEK, butanone, 2-butanone, butan-2-one, oxobutane, or methyl acetone) is a clear volatile liquid that is soluble in water and has a mild, acetone odour. It has the formula C4H8O. The HS Code of the product is 291412, and CAS No 78-93-3.


We rely on n-butene direct hydration method in butanone production, enabling our butanone to reach Type II urethane grade as specified in the Specification of ASTM D740-11. Compared with the n-butene indirect hydration method adopted by Europe and Japan which takes sulfuric acid as catalyst, this method causes less pollution and is more advanced. Butanone products are sensitive to their external environment. But they can be preserved for one year if stored and operated properly. We realize quality control mainly through operation in the following stages:
Production stage: We have stable quality control and production facilities which ensure the original ex-factory content of butanone is over 99.91%, with the actual value as high as 99.96% while the original ex-factory moisture content is less than 0.05% with the actual value as low as 0.04%.


Port storage stage: When at a port, butanone is preserved alternately by filling nitrogen and storing it in floating roof tanks. The floating roof in the floating roof tank can isolate the butanone from air, so as to effectively prevent butanone from absorbing the moisture in the air and reduce its volatilization. Alternatively, inert gas nitrogen can be filled into tanks which can well isolate butanone from air so as to produce sealing effects and guarantee the quality of butanone. Therefore, for storage tanks other than floating roof ones, nitrogen can be introduced to preserve the butanone in them.
Export Logistics stage: Specific cleaning instructions have been designed for the cleaning of bulk wet cargo ships and delivery pipelines during their commodity inspection according to the international practice. They have passed the commodity inspection after cleaned according to the instruction and been provided with cabin cleaning certificate certified by commodity inspection. Tank containers are cleaned according to professional instructions. The tanks are dried naturally after cleaned with high pressure water pipe. When necessary, nitrogen may be filled into them. Since nitrogen is heavier than air, air can be driven out of tanks. Butanone products contained in drums will not deteriorate easily as the drums are well sealed and kept away from light. According to the previous shipping test result, the actual moisture content in our butanone as tested by the buyer does not exceed 0.02% after arriving at the port of destination. For example, Intertek's report shows that, the water content in the cabin is 0.0092% while the water content in the shore tanks after unloading of goods is only increased to 0.0123%, which is much lower than the contractual upper limit of 0.05%. As the measurement accuracy of such foreign inspectors as Intertek and SGS is usually higher than that of domestic CCIC, the test result measured by CCIC is not as good as that by Intertek and SGS. However, both the moisture content in our butanone during transportation out of the factory and that during arrival at the port are within 0.02%, far below the national standard 0.05%.

Ketones are water clear, highly mobile liquids with a characteristic odour. They are chemically very stable. Due to the carbonyl group, ketones are hydrogen acceptors and have an outstanding solvency.
Over 50 % of the demand for Methyl ethyl ketone stems from the paints and coatings industry as a low viscosity solution can be obtained without it affecting the film properties of the product.
Methyl ethyl ketone does not contain detectable quantities of polycyclic aromatics, heavy metals or chlorinated compounds.