Cellulose Acetate Butyrate

Eastman cellulose acetate butyrates (CABs) are mixed cellulose esters containing acetate and butyrate functional groups. They are commonly used as thermoplastic binders and additives in coating applications for a variety of materials, including plastics, textiles, metal, leather, and wood. Most Eastman cellulose acetate butyrate grades are soluble in several low-cost solvents and compatible with a broad range of resins and pigments.

Eastman cellulose acetate butyrate grades offer various properties based on their molecular weight and butyryl, acetyl, and hydroxyl content. These properties provide versatility in the desired characteristics of cured films. High-butyryl CAB grades support a greater degree of film flexibility, wider solubility range, and better compatibility with other resins and pigments in formulations. CAB grades with high hydroxyl content have better solubility in alcohols, making them useful in curing finishes like baking enamels and acid-catalyzed coatings. Higher hydroxyl content also facilitates higher cross-linking density in thermoset systems. Eastman CAB grades with a lower molecular weight allow for higher solids loading into formulations without a significant viscosity increase.

In many coating and ink applications, Eastman CABs help preserve distinctness of image and increase the gloss of films applied on various surfaces. They also improve abrasion resistance, flow, and leveling properties and reduce surface defects while decreasing drying time. Eastman cellulose acetate butyrate is also stable to UV light and nonreactive with dyes, metallic pigments, and fluorescent colors. This makes Eastman CABs useful as a medium to produce pigment dispersions on differential-speed two-roll mills. Since Eastman CAB polymers are made from cellulose, a renewable resource, many formulators can improve the sustainability of their formulations while improving performance. For more information on the available grades and their properties, continue reading below.