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Chemicals

MMB

An environment-friendly solvent
General Name
3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol

Overview

MMB (3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol) is a specialty chemical produced by Kuraray. It is a clear, colorless and completely water-soluble liquid with a mild odor. Thanks to MMB’s low toxicity and ready biodegradability, it can be used in European Ecolabel formulations. It has also passed the U.S. EPA’s DfE screen and has been listed in CleanGredients, a list of safer ingredients, in the U.S. since 2009.

Example

  • Household cleaner (bath, toilet, clothing, etc.)
  • Industrial cleaning agent
  • Air freshener
  • Paint and ink
  • Printing materials (dampening water, blanket cleaner)
  • Emulsion and adhesives
  • Electronic materials
  • Foam fire-extinguishing agent

  • Improvement of detergency : MMB formulation shows the best cleaning performance with lowest quantity.
  • Effect on plastics : MMB has a milder effect on resins than glycol ethers.
  • Improvement of stability : The MMB-based formulation is low in viscosity and high in stability at low temperatures. The viscosity and appearance of concentrated detergent formulations were checked.
  • Stability under alkaline and acidic conditions : MMB is stable at high and low pH. The stability of solvents at pH 10 and 4 were checked.
  • Evaporation profile : Evaporation speed can be controlled by adding MMB to water and other solvents.
  • Odor : The odor of MMB is less than that of glycol ethers.
  • Compatibility with aroma chemicals : MMB is highly compatible with various aroma chemicals compared to glycols such as DPG.
  • Co-surfactant effect : MMB provides a clear liquid with a smaller amount of surfactant. And MMB works as an efficient co-surfactant. MMB contributes to cost reduction of surfactant and less clogging on wick because of surfactant.

Flash Point (Tag's CC)71oC (OECD103)
Boiling Point173oC (343℉)
Freezing Point<－50oC (<-58℉)
Viscosity12.5mPa・s @20oC
Specific Gravity0.91g/cm3 (20oC)
Surface Tension29.9dynes/cm @20oC
Evaporation Rate7 (n-BuAc= 100)
Solubility in WaterINFINITE
KB value>400
Solubility Parameter9.88

Further information about MMB

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