DBAC - Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether Acetate

About This Product

Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, DBAC or butyl carbitol acetate, has the formula C10H20O4 and CAS number 124-17-4. It is produced by acetylating DB and is supplied as a clear colourless liquid with a mild ester odour. It sits at the slow end of the glycol ether acetate range, and both structural features push it there. The two-unit backbone and the butyl cap already give DB a very high boiling point; acetylating the hydroxyl adds further molecular weight and removes the hydrogen bonding that would otherwise pull it into the water phase. The result is a strongly oil-soluble, extremely slow-evaporating solvent with no active hydrogen. That last point defines its main application: two-pack polyurethane coatings cannot tolerate a free hydroxyl, which would consume isocyanate and disturb the stoichiometry, and DBAC provides isocyanate compatibility at an evaporation rate slow enough for high-build and hot-applied finishes. It is also used as a retarder to rescue films that would otherwise dry too fast and blush. It is used in two-pack polyurethane and industrial coatings, coil and can coatings, screen printing inks, wood finishes and as a retarder. Bio Green Chem supplies DBAC to specification on assay, free glycol ether, acidity, water, colour and residue.