Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
SEED CAB Product Details
CAB is a high-performance cellulose ester providing exceptional film-forming properties, clarity, weatherability, and durability in coating applications. CAB offers excellent compatibility with pigments and additives, fast drying characteristics, and superior flow and leveling for premium-quality finishes.
- Chemical Name: Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
- CAS Number: 9004-36-8
- Chemical Structure: Mixed cellulose ester with acetyl and butyryl substitution
- Appearance: White to off-white granules, powder, or flakes
- Odor: Mild ester odor (slight)
- Molecular Weight: 10,000-65,000 (number average)
- Density: 1.15-1.22 g/cm³
- Moisture Absorption: 1.5-2.5% at 50% RH
- Refractive Index: 1.46-1.49
- Glass Transition Temperature (Tg): 110-150°C (depends on grade and plasticizer)
SEED CAB Product Parameters
CAB Substitution Characteristics:
Butyryl Content: 35-39% (typical)
Acetyl Content: 12-15% (typical)
Hydroxyl Content: 1.5-2.5%
Combined Ester Content: 50-54%
CAB Viscosity (Solution):
0.01-60 seconds (variable by grade)
Measured in specific solvents at standard concentrations
CAB Solubility:
Soluble in: Aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene, xylene), ketones (acetone, MEK), esters (ethyl acetate, butyl acetate), certain alcohols, chlorinated solvents
Insoluble in: Water, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols (methanol, ethanol in pure form)
Requires specific solvent blends for optimal performance
Model:
CAB-381-0.1, CAB-381-0.5, CAB-381-2, CAB-381-20, CAB-551-0.01, CAB-551-0.2, CAB-531-1, CAP-482-0.5, CAB-ENS100
SEED CAB Product Advantages
Excellent Weatherability
SEED CAB provides outstanding outdoor durability, superior UV resistance compared to other cellulose esters, minimal yellowing or degradation from sunlight exposure, excellent resistance to chalking and erosion, long-term gloss retention, ideal for automotive and exterior applications.
Flexibility Balance
Good surface hardness for abrasion resistance, maintains flexibility to prevent cracking, excellent impact resistance, durable films that resist mechanical damage, can be modified with plasticizers for specific requirements.
Moisture Resistance
Lower moisture absorption than cellulose acetate, better dimensional stability in humid conditions, reduced moisture-related defects, improved water resistance of coatings and films, less swelling and warping, better performance in high-humidity environments.
Outstanding Clarity and Gloss
Exceptional transparency and clarity, high gloss in coatings and films, excellent light transmission, minimal haze formation, ideal for clear coatings and transparent applications.
Fast Drying
Solvent-based CAB coatings dry rapidly, with quick evaporation of solvents, rapid through-cure, enabling fast production cycles, reducing dust contamination during drying, ideal for high-throughput operations.
Excellent Flow and Leveling
Superior flow properties during application, excellent leveling for smooth, defect-free surfaces, reduces orange peel and brush marks, professional finish quality, ideal for spray, brush, and roller application.
Products you may be interested in
SEED CAB Frequently Asked Questions
How does Cellulose Acetate Butyrate function in water-based and oil-based coatings?
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate serves as a highly effective film-forming resin and binder in both water-based and oil-based coating systems, providing exceptional performance characteristics that make it valuable across automotive, industrial, and decorative coating applications. In solvent-based coatings, CAB dissolves readily in a wide range of solvents creating tough, flexible films with outstanding clarity, gloss, and color retention that remain stable under prolonged exposure to sunlight and weathering. The polymer provides excellent adhesion to diverse substrates including metals, plastics, wood, and previously coated surfaces, making it ideal for refinishing and maintenance coatings. In water-based systems, CAB can be formulated as dispersions or used with coalescing solvents, offering lower VOC alternatives while maintaining performance.
What advantages does Cellulose Acetate Butyrate offer for coating durability and appearance?
CAB films exhibit outstanding weatherability and UV resistance, maintaining gloss, color, and integrity even after years of outdoor exposure to sunlight, moisture, temperature fluctuations, and atmospheric pollutants that degrade many other coating resins. The polymer creates exceptionally clear, water-white films with excellent transparency and gloss retention, making it ideal for applications where coating clarity and color accuracy are critical, such as automotive clearcoats, wood finishes highlighting natural grain, and protective coatings over decorative substrates. CAB provides superior chemical resistance protecting against acids, alkalies, oils, and many solvents, excellent moisture resistance preventing water penetration and substrate corrosion, and outstanding flexibility that accommodates substrate expansion and contraction without cracking or delaminating.
Why is Cellulose Acetate Butyrate preferred for automotive and industrial coatings?
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate is highly valued in automotive and industrial coating applications due to its unique combination of fast drying, excellent finish quality, and outstanding durability that meet demanding performance requirements. In automotive refinishing and original equipment manufacturing, CAB-based coatings provide the brilliant gloss, depth of color, and mirror-like finish that consumers expect from high-quality automotive paints, while offering excellent chip resistance, scratch resistance, and weatherability that protect vehicle appearance over years of use. CAB demonstrates excellent compatibility with metallic and pearlescent pigments, creating stunning special-effect finishes popular in modern automotive styling. In industrial coatings for machinery, equipment, appliances, and metal fabrications, CAB provides durable protection against corrosion, chemicals, abrasion, and environmental degradation while offering flexibility in application methods including spray, dip, and roller coating, making it versatile across diverse manufacturing processes and coating requirements.
How does Cellulose Acetate Butyrate enhance coating application properties?
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate significantly improves coating application properties and processing characteristics, making formulations easier to apply with superior results and enhanced productivity. CAB provides excellent flow and leveling, allowing coatings to spread smoothly and self-level after application, eliminating brush marks, roller stipple, and spray texture for glass-smooth finishes without extensive polishing or buffing. The polymer’s controlled viscosity and pseudoplastic rheology ensure proper atomization in spray applications, good edge coverage, and uniform film build without sagging or running on vertical surfaces. CAB-based coatings exhibit fast drying and rapid hardness development, reducing dust contamination during curing, minimizing handling damage, and allowing faster recoating or assembly of finished parts, which improves production throughput and reduces manufacturing costs.
Connect with Us Today
Reach out to discover how our cellulose ether products can elevate your business and meet all your chemical solution needs.