Kowa American corp. is a leading importer of p-Chlorobenzotrifluoride (PCBTF), which is a VOC exempt solvent that has similar solvent and handling properties as xylene and Aromatic 100. PCBTF's very wide solubility profile allows PCBTF to be used as a solvent for almost all coating resins commercially available (solubility parameter = 8.6). PCBTF is compatible with wide variety of other co-solvents and has slightly slower evaporation rate (0.9) than butyl acetate (1.0)

PCBTF's highly stable structure, low acidity (3 ppm max.) and low water content (150 ppm max.) allow it to be safely used in highly reactive urethane or epoxy resin systems.

PCBTF MSDS / PCBTF Specs

PCBTF drums are stocked in New Jersey. Full truckload drum deliveries of PCBTF direct from Italy can be arranged for further cost savings.

Dimethyl Carbonate - DMC

Kowa American's application to the EPA to have Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC) approved as a VOC exempt solvent has been recently approved by the EPA (on January 13, 2009).

DMC Application letter / DMC slide show / DMC EPA approval

DMC has an ultra low MIR value, which is a chemical's ability to form atmospheric ozone (the lower the MIR value the less ozone generated and safer it is).

Dimethyl Carbonate is a medium evaporating (e. r. = 3.22) polar solvent with a low toxicity and methanol like odor. DMC is a good substitute for oxygenated solvents such as Glycol ethers, acetone, methyl acetate, t-butyl acetate, isopropanol and MEK. It can be used to replace toluene and other aromatic & aliphatic solvents with appropriate co-solvents.

Solubility Parameter = 20.3, flashpoint 63℉ (17℃), boiling point 195℉ (90℃)

DMC MSDS / DMC Specs

DMC drums are stocked in NJ and expected to be stocked shortly in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Please note each state may have different rules regarding the VOC exemption status for DMC, the DMC slide show has current states VOC exempt status and well as the various California air management district exempt status for DMC.

Propylene Carbonate

Propylene Carbonate (PC) is a newly VOC exempt solvent has a very slow evaporation rate (<.005, BuAc = 1.0), which limits its use as a traditional coating or adhesives solvent to tailing solvents or solvents for baked on coatings. PC was approved by the EPA as a VOC exempt solvent at the same time as the DMC approval. We are presently not sampling PC, USA producers of PC should be contacted for samples at this point in time.

PC MSDS / PC Specs

Proposed VOC Exempt Solvent:

Benzotrifluoride - (BTF)

BTF is another solvent Kowa American is requesting to the EPA for VOC exemption, however a recent revision to its MIR value has put it slightly higher than the MIR for Ethane, which is the cutoff point for approving VOC exempt solvents. Kowa American believes the ozone generating potential of BTF should be considered at least equal to that of Ethane, and that on that basis should be exempted as a VOC solvent. Kowa will be approaching the EPA in the near future to take another look at exempting BTF.

BTF has similar solvency and evaporation rates to Toluene. We envision that the synergies of using combinations of BTF with PCBTF should allow a wide range solvent properties to be obtained with minimal ozone generation. Presently PCBTF is the only aromatic or hydrophobic VOC exempt solvent, if used with an exempt BTF, a significant amount of VOC solvents can be eliminated nationwide. BTF has a lower ozone generating potential in many instances than the VOC exempt solvent Acetone. BTF should be approved soon for use in aerosol coatings in the USA (it is already allowed for use in aerosol coatings in California with a MIR value of .26) under the EPA’s weighted reactivity program.

BTF is a medium evaporating (E. rate. = 2.8, BuAc = 1.0) aromatic solvent with a solubility parameter of 7.9. (Flashpoint 54℉, Kauri Butanol = 4)

BTF MSDS / BTF Specs