| HS Code | |
| Productname | Acetic Acid |
| Iupacname | Acetic acid |
| Chemicalformula | CH3COOH |
| Molecularweight | 60.05 g/mol |
| Casnumber | 64-19-7 |
| Ecnumber | 200-580-7 |
| Appearance | Colorless liquid |
| Odor | Pungent, vinegar-like |
| Density | 1.049 g/cm3 at 20 °C |
| Meltingpoint | 16.6 °C |
| Boilingpoint | 118.1 °C |
| Solubility | Miscible with water, ethanol, and ether |
| Ph | 2.4 for 1 M aqueous solution |
| Pka | 4.76 at 25 °C |
| Flashpoint | 39 °C closed cup |
| Autoignitiontemperature | 427 °C |
| Vaporpressure | 11.4 mmHg at 20 °C |
| Viscosity | 1.22 mPa·s at 25 °C |
| Refractiveindex | 1.3716 at 20 °C |
| Unnumber | 2789 |
As an accredited Acetic Acid factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Acetic acid is supplied in 25 L polyethylene drums with secure closures and corrosive hazard labels for safe industrial handling. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL container loading for Acetic Acid: corrosive UN 2789, Class 8, packed in approved drums/IBCs, secured and properly placarded. |
| Shipping | Acetic acid is shipped under UN 2789 (glacial, >80%) or UN 2790 (10–80%), Class 8 corrosive, with flammable subsidiary for glacial. Use acid-resistant drums, IBCs, or tankers. Label corrosive, keep upright, cool, dry, away from oxidizers, metals, and ignition sources. Follow DOT/IMDG/IATA regulations; transport in approved packaging with emergency response information. |
| Storage | Store acetic acid in a cool, dry, well-ventilated, fire-resistant area away from heat, ignition sources, oxidizers, bases, and reactive metals. Keep containers tightly closed, upright, clearly labeled, and compatible (glass, polyethylene, or lined steel). Use secondary containment and spill kits. Ensure eyewash/shower access. Glacial acetic acid freezes near 17°C; protect containers from freezing damage. |
| Shelf Life | Acetic acid is stable; store sealed in a cool, dry place. Shelf life is indefinite under proper conditions. |
Fixed-bed ethylene acetoxylation for vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is operated with a continuous feed of ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen across a promoted palladium-gold catalyst deposited on silica, with potassium acetate present as a regeneration promoter. In multi-tubular reactors having tube inner diameters in the 25–40 mm range and cooled by circulating oil or molten salt on the shell side, the acetic acid-to-ethylene molar feed ratio is held between 0.35 and 0.55, while oxygen is restricted to 6.0–8.5 vol% to remain below the flammable envelope at 5.0–8.0 bar and 150–180°C. Acetic acid per-pass conversion is normally 15–35%; the unconverted acid is recovered by condensation and distillation before recycle. Published data for licensor-specific catalyst promoter loading is limited, but production records show that insufficient acetic acid recycle can shift surface acidity and reduce VAM selectivity below 90%, making the acid feed simultaneously a reaction substrate and a surface-regeneration medium. Hot acetic acid corrosion requires 316L or Hastelloy C-276 wetted parts, and the recycle loop is monitored for chloride contamination because chloride accelerates palladium sintering. Product specifications are referenced to ASTM D2190-07 for VAM purity and water content, and EU REACH (EC) No 1907/2006 registration dossiers require reporting of residual acetaldehyde and methyl acetate. Downstream conversion yields polyvinyl acetate homopolymer emulsions, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer dispersions for adhesives and carpet backing, polyvinyl alcohol grades with 87–89 mol% or 98–99 mol% hydrolysis for textile warp sizing and water-soluble films, and polyvinyl butyral interlayers for laminated safety glass.
In continuous p-xylene oxidation trains producing purified terephthalic acid (PTA), glacial acetic acid is charged as the bulk reaction medium and solvent for the cobalt-manganese-bromide catalyst system; the solvent is not inert and participates in side reactions that generate methyl acetate, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The air-based Mid-Century/BP Amoco process operates at 175–205°C and 1.5–3.0 MPa with a residence time of 30–60 min in titanium-lined or passivated stainless-steel oxidation reactors; the acetic acid-to-p-xylene mass ratio is commonly maintained at 2.5:1 to 4.0:1, and the water content in the circulating solvent is controlled between 5 and 15 wt% to balance catalyst activity, corrosion, and crude terephthalic acid solubility. The oxidation section uses an overhead condenser and reflux drum to separate water and methyl acetate from acetic acid, and the recovered solvent is returned to the reactor. Solvent burn losses are reported as kilograms of acetic acid per metric ton of crude terephthalic acid, although published data for specific licensors varies. Crude terephthalic acid is discharged as a slurry in acetic acid, filtered, washed, and then purified by hydrogenation. PTA quality for downstream polyester must meet ASTM D8062-23 specifications for 4-carboxybenzaldehyde and color b-value, and final PET resin intended for food contact must comply with FDA 21 CFR 177.1630. Terminal products include bottle-grade PET for carbonated soft drinks, textile-grade polyester staple and filament, biaxially oriented PET film for flexible packaging, and engineering-grade PBT compounds derived from terephthalic acid pathways.
Esterification of ethanol with acetic acid is run as a reactive distillation process in which the ethyl acetate-water-ethanol ternary azeotrope boils at 70.3°C and is continuously removed overhead, shifting equilibrium while the catalyst remains in the reaction zone. In a structured packing column equipped with a solid acid catalyst or a homogeneous sulfuric acid loop, the acetic acid-to-ethanol molar charge ratio is held between 1.0:1.05 and 1.0:1.20, with reflux ratio adjusted to maintain overhead ethyl acetate purity above 92% before decantation and finishing. The heterogeneous decanter splits the distillate into an ester-rich organic layer and an aqueous phase; the aqueous phase is refluxed or sent to recovery. Crude ethyl acetate is washed with dilute alkali to reduce residual acidity below 0.005 wt%, then dried and distilled to a final purity of ≥99.5%; residual water is controlled below 0.05 wt% for urethane-grade applications. Compliance is referenced to ASTM D4614-96 for ethyl acetate grades and to EU REACH (EC) No 1907/2006 for solvent registration, with residual ethanol and acetic acid reported on safety data sheets under CLP (EC) No 1272/2008. Terminal products include flexographic and gravure printing inks, two-component polyurethane coatings, nail polish removers, adhesive diluents, pharmaceutical extraction solvents, and decaffeination of coffee and tea. The same process block can be switched to n-butyl acetate or isopropyl acetate by replacing the alcohol feed, with modified azeotrope behaviour and higher boiling points requiring reboiler temperature and reflux adjustments.
Cellulose acetate manufacture consumes acetic acid in two distinct functions: as a swelling and pre-treatment medium for cellulose before acetylation, and as the hydrolysis or buffer medium after acetic anhydride has reacted with cellulose hydroxyl groups. In the hardwood or dissolving pulp line, air-dried cellulose is first sprayed or kneaded with glacial acetic acid at 5–15 parts per 100 parts dry cellulose at 25–40°C, then mixed with a refrigerated acetylation mixture containing acetic anhydride, acetic acid, and sulfuric acid catalyst; the acetic anhydride-to-cellulose molar ratio is typically 3.0:1 to 3.5:1, and the reaction exotherm is held below 50°C during the initial acetyl transfer. After primary acetylation, water is added to hydrolyse the triester to a target degree of substitution of 2.45–2.55 for acetone-soluble cellulose diacetate, or to 2.80–2.90 for methylene chloride-soluble cellulose triacetate; this hydrolysis step is conducted in a high-torque kneader reactor with close temperature control because overshooting hydrolysis by more than 0.05 DS units shifts solubility and final film modulus. The resulting cellulose acetate flake is precipitated from dilute acetic acid, washed, and dried; the recovered dilute acetic acid is processed through solvent extraction or azeotropic distillation to return to the acetylation line. Testing follows ASTM D871-96 for acetyl content and intrinsic viscosity, and food-contact cellulose acetate films are evaluated under EU Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for plastic materials intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Terminal products for the diacetate grade include cigarette filter tow, textile filament for linings, injection-molded spectacle frames and tool handles, and optical-grade triacetate films used in polarizer protective layers.
Where monochloroacetic acid synthesis is run as a continuous liquid-phase chlorination, glacial acetic acid is fed together with chlorine gas and a small amount of acetyl chloride or acetic anhydride catalyst into a glass-lined stirred reactor at 85–105°C. The chlorine feed is limited to 0.85–0.95 kmol per kmol of acetic acid to keep dichloroacetic acid concentration below 5 wt% in the crude acid; hydrogen chloride gas is withdrawn continuously and absorbed in water or processed into hydrochloric acid. The raw chlorination liquor is degassed, then distilled under reduced pressure to recover unreacted acetic acid and separate monochloroacetic acid from higher chlorinated by-products; production documents typically report MCA selectivity of 90–95% under steady chlorine flow and adequate heat removal. The product is registered under EU REACH (EC) No 1907/2006 and classified under CLP (EC) No 1272/2008, while downstream carboxymethylcellulose for food use must meet FAO/WHO JECFA consolidation of sodium carboxymethylcellulose specifications. Terminal products include sodium carboxymethylcellulose thickeners, carboxymethyl starch for drilling fluids, thioglycolic acid for hair permanent preparations and PVC heat stabilizers, glyphosate herbicide, and betaine surfactants.
Ambient-stable pickled vegetables and condiment emulsions require a final equilibrium pH at or below 4.6 to suppress Clostridium botulinum spore outgrowth, and food-grade acetic acid is metered into brine or sauce tanks after dilution from 80% or glacial strength to a working concentration of 10–20%. The finished product addition rate normally falls between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% acetic acid on total formula, depending on the buffering capacity of the vegetable tissue or starch-based sauce; the pH is verified after equilibration with a calibrated glass electrode before pasteurization or hot-fill. Acetic acid as a food additive is permitted in the European Union under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 Annex II Part E as E260 quantum satis for most foods, and in the United States under FDA 21 CFR 184.1005 as a substance affirmed as generally recognized as safe with current good manufacturing practice. The acid is also covered by the Food Chemicals Codex monograph for glacial acetic acid or diluted acetic acid, with assay, residue on evaporation, and arsenic limits specified in the monograph.
| Reference | Clause / monograph | Condition relevant to acidulant use |
|---|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 184.1005 | Acetic acid | Current good manufacturing practice; no food category restriction |
| EU 1333/2008 Annex II Part E | E260 | Quantum satis in most foods |
| Food Chemicals Codex | Acetic acid monograph | Assay not less than 99.5% w/w for glacial grade |
Natural rubber latex arriving from tapping points is preserved with ammonia and exhibits pH 10.0–10.5; coagulation into block or crumb rubber requires controlled addition of dilute acetic acid, typically 1.0–3.0 parts of 98% acetic acid per 100 parts dry rubber content, after dilution to 2–5 wt% solution. The acid is added into stainless-steel or concrete coagulation troughs under slow agitation; pH is reduced to 4.5–5.0, at which point the latex destabilizes and coagulum forms. Coagulum crumb size and drying behaviour depend on acid addition rate and mixing shear, and processing records show that overdosing below pH 4.0 can produce hard, dense coagulum that loads crepers and hammer mills with higher torque. The dried rubber is pressed and baled according to ISO 2000 or national grade specifications such as TSR 20 and RSS 3; processors test volatile matter, dirt, and ash using the relevant ISO test methods referenced in the grade specification. Terminal products include tire tread compounds, conveyor belts, footwear soles, rubber mats, and industrial extruded profiles.
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Acetic acid, CAS 64-19-7, molecular formula CH3COOH, molecular weight 60.05 g/mol, is a saturated monocarboxylic acid supplied in commercial models that include glacial grade at ≥99.5% w/w, high-purity grade at 99.85% w/w, recycled technical solutions near 80% w/w, and food-grade vinegar diluted to 4–8% w/w. The material freezes at 16.6°C, boils at 117.9°C at 101.3 kPa, has pKa 4.76 at 25°C, and exhibits vapor pressure 1.5 kPa at 20°C. Large-volume production is dominated by methanol carbonylation using rhodium or iridium iodide catalysis at 150–200°C and 3.0–6.0 MPa, followed by dehydration and distillation. Product specification sheets typically report water by ISO 760, formic acid, acetaldehyde, heavy metal residues, permanganate time, and APHA color by ASTM D1209; these parameters define product grade rather than a single generic composition.
Selection among short-chain carboxylic acids depends on pKa, volatility, reducing behavior, and polymer compatibility. Acetic acid has pKa 4.76 at 25°C, placing it between formic acid with pKa 3.75 and propionic acid with pKa 4.87. In vinyl acetate monomer production, formic acid is not a substitute because competing formate oxidation and higher reducing potential alter catalyst selectivity. In acidifying applications, diluted acetic acid is preferred over hydrochloric acid when chloride residues would create pitting or stress corrosion risk in stainless steel. Citric acid, a solid polyprotic chelator, is selected when metal sequestration is required, whereas acetic acid provides liquid dosing, lower residue, and evaporative removal but requires flammable-liquid handling at glacial concentrations. The table below summarizes the systematic comparison for the three monobasic acids.
| Property | Acetic acid | Formic acid | Propionic acid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular weight | 60.05 g/mol | 46.03 g/mol | 74.08 g/mol |
| pKa at 25°C | 4.76 | 3.75 | 4.87 |
| Normal boiling point | 117.9°C | 100.8°C | 141.2°C |
| Vapor pressure at 20°C | 1.5 kPa | 4.6 kPa | 0.3 kPa |
| Melting point | 16.6°C | 8.2°C | −20.8°C |
| Density at 25°C | 1.049 g/cm³ | 1.220 g/cm³ | 0.993 g/cm³ |
These properties explain why propionic acid requires higher temperature esterification and lower volatile organic carbon loss but has stronger aliphatic odor; formic acid has greater vapor pressure and stronger acidity, which creates higher corrosion vapor in headspaces. Acetic acid is therefore chosen for balanced volatility and acidity when downstream catalyst compatibility and evaporative removal are both required.
In vinyl acetate monomer synthesis, acetic acid is co-fed with ethylene and oxygen to a fixed-bed reactor containing palladium-gold catalyst on silica. Reactor temperature is controlled at 175–200°C and pressure at 0.7–1.4 MPa; unreacted acetic acid is recovered by distillation and recycled. Water content in the acetic acid feed to the reactor is maintained below 1.0% w/w because excess water suppresses monomer yield and increases carbon dioxide formation. The process cannot tolerate propionic acid or formic acid above trace levels in the recycle loop, as these acids alter the oxidation state of the catalyst surface and generate byproduct aldehydes. Production-scale equipment typically includes corrosion-resistant distillation columns with structured packing, 316L stainless steel reboilers, and continuous gas-chromatographic analysers for oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Because glacial acetic acid crystallizes below 16.6°C, bulk storage tanks are fitted with internal heating coils or external trace heating to hold the liquid at 20–30°C. Transfer lines are heat-traced and sloped to prevent solid plugs. Wetted materials for concentrated acid include 316L stainless steel, PTFE, PVDF, and polypropylene; carbon steel, copper, zinc, aluminum, and brass are unsuitable because corrosion rates increase and dissolved metals can contaminate the product. Pumps used in metering service include magnetically driven centrifugal pumps with stainless steel casings and PTFE O-rings, or air-operated double-diaphragm pumps with PTFE diaphragms and PVDF bodies. Tanks require nitrogen blanketing and flame arrestors because the closed-cup flash point is 39°C and vapor pressure is 1.5 kPa at 20°C. Published data for the corrosion rate of 316L in glacial acetic acid containing chloride above 50 ppm at 25°C is limited; storage designers therefore request low-chloride raw material and specify stress-relieved welds to avoid stress corrosion cracking. Breathing vents and conservation vents must be sized in accordance with API 2000; relief exhaust is directed to a scrubber.
For food and pharmaceutical applications, acetic acid is controlled under FDA 21 CFR 184.1005 as a substance generally recognized as safe for direct food use under current good manufacturing practice. The food additive code is E260 in the European Union. FCC and USP monograph requirements include assay, water content, formic acid, chloride, sulfate, residue on evaporation, and oxidizable substances. Typical food-grade certificates list heavy metals as Pb at ≤1 mg/kg and arsenic at ≤1 mg/kg, though producer-specific release limits may be lower. Dilution of glacial acetic acid to vinegar-type products is performed with demineralized water meeting USP Purified Water or equivalent microbial control. Equipment for food-grade dilution uses cleaned stainless steel 316L tanks, sanitary tri-clamp connections, cartridge filtration at 0.45 µm, and UV disinfection after the final blending step. In pharmaceutical operations, glacial acetic acid is used for pH adjustment and as an acidifying agent for peptide synthesis, where chloride or sulfate contamination would interfere with coupling or precipitation steps.
| Standard or regulatory reference | Parameter | Limit/condition |
|---|---|---|
| FDA 21 CFR 184.1005 | GRAS use | Current good manufacturing practice |
| FCC Monograph | Assay as CH3COOH | ≥99.5% w/w |
| USP Monograph | Assay as CH3COOH | ≥99.5% w/w |
| EC 1272/2008 | GHS classification | Flam. Liq. 3; Skin Corr. 1A; Eye Dam. 1 |
| 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-1 | PEL TWA | 10 ppm (25 mg/m³) |
| NIOSH REL | REL TWA / STEL | 10 ppm; 15 ppm (37 mg/m³) |
| UN 2789 | Glacial acetic acid transport | Class 8 / Class 3 dangerous goods |
Acetic anhydride production via ketene uses glacial acetic acid as feedstock. The dehydration step is operated at 700–750°C in a tubular furnace with triethyl phosphate catalyst; unconverted acetic acid is condensed and recycled. Water content in feed is held below 0.3% w/w because higher moisture reduces furnace efficiency and promotes coke formation in the reactor tubes. This process requires a higher-purity glacial model with low acetaldehyde and formic acid, because these oxygenated impurities degrade the catalyst and increase tars in downstream separation. Distillation of the anhydride from acetic acid is conducted under reduced pressure to keep reboiler temperature below the point of thermal decomposition. Equipment for this application includes high-nickel alloy furnace tubes and shell-and-tube condensers with continuous discharge of non-condensables.
In purified terephthalic acid production, acetic acid functions as the reaction solvent and as a stabilizer for the cobalt-manganese-bromide catalyst. The oxidation of p-xylene with air is carried out in bubble-column reactors at 175–225°C and 1.5–2.5 MPa. The acetic acid-to-p-xylene ratio is controlled by mass balance around the reactor and centrifugation steps; excess acetic acid is removed in solvent recovery columns and recycled. Organic acid impurities such as formic acid must be held below vendor-specified limits to prevent excessive carbon monoxide in the vent gas and to avoid precipitation of cobalt salts. Published data for the exact limit in proprietary systems is limited; commercial operators use gas chromatography and ion chromatography to maintain total monocarboxylic acid impurities under controlled limits relative to acetic acid. This application excludes propionic acid build-up because its higher boiling point consumes energy in solvent distillation and its aliphatic chain alters oxidation selectivity.
In aqueous descaling, acetic acid at 5–10% w/w is applied to remove calcium carbonate and hard-water scale from brewery tanks, dairy plate heat exchangers, and reverse-osmosis membranes. The pKa of 4.76 buffers the solution near pH 2.5–3.0 when combined with acetate buffers, limiting mineral acid attack on elastomers and reducing carbon dioxide evolution. Citric acid is selected when chelation of iron and calcium is required; acetic acid is selected when the cleaning residue must evaporate without leaving citrate solids. Additives include nonionic surfactants with low foam height in CIP systems and corrosion inhibitors based on benzotriazole for copper alloy protection. Cleaning efficacy is validated by gravimetric scale removal coupons mounted in the circulation loop and by conductivity logging of rinse water. Concentrated cleaning concentrates require secondary containment and spill-control measures because the flash point is 39°C and the vapor is denser than air.
Dilute acetic acid is metered into textile padding and exhaustion baths to control pH for fiber-reactive dyes and to neutralize residual alkali after scouring. Typical process concentrations range from 0.5–2.0 mL/L of glacial acetic acid in the bath, with pH monitoring at the mangle trough to prevent hydrolysis of cellulosic fibers. In natural rubber latex coagulation, acetic acid is added to coagulant dips or to the latex compound to destabilize the anionic surfactant system; final pH is maintained near 5.0–6.0 to avoid excess acid retention. Published data for the exact coagulation rate across different latices is limited, so formulators perform small-scale viscometric and pre-vulcanization checks before plant trials. Unlike formic acid, acetic acid gives a more reproducible coagulation profile in carboxylated styrene-butadiene lattices due lower acid strength and slower pH drop.
Pharmaceutical peptide purification uses acetic acid buffers at 0.1% v/v to 2% v/v in reversed-phase HPLC mobile phases. The use of acetic acid instead of trifluoroacetic acid lowers ion pairing strength and can preserve acid-labile protecting groups. Pumps for this application are stainless steel or PEEK with low-pressure mixing; degassing is required because acetic acid buffer outgassing changes retention time.
Industrial handling requires local exhaust ventilation at drum-transfer and reactor charging stations. The OSHA permissible exposure limit is 10 ppm as an 8-hour time-weighted average; NIOSH sets a short-term exposure limit of 15 ppm for 15 minutes. Personnel exposure monitoring uses NIOSH Method 1603 with solid sorbent tubes and gas chromatography. Skin contact with glacial grade is corrosive and requires immediate flushing with water for 15 minutes. Spill containment must handle the full volume of the largest container and be constructed of acid-resistant concrete or stainless steel.
