N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) is a high boiling, polar aprotic, low viscosity liquid. NMP has a good solvency for a wide range of organic and inorganic compounds and it is miscible with water at all temperatures and has a high chemical and thermal stability. It is used as a solvent for engineering polymers and coating resins. Additionally, the polar nature and the low surface tension of NMP makes it an excellent cleaning medium and paint stripping solvent. NMP is a powerful solvent with a low volatility used for a wide range of chemicals and finds its application among others in:
Petrochemical processing:
NMP is used as extraction medium in several industrial processes because of its affinity for unsaturated hydrocarbons and aromatics, for example butadiene recovery, BTX extraction, lube oil purification, ...
As illustration for the strong selectivity of NMP towards acetylene, the table below shows the solubility of acetylene in various solvents.
Solvent | K value
(1 atm ml gas/ ml solvent, at 20°C) | Boiling point |
NMP | 43 | 204°C |
DMF | 36 | 153°C |
Aceton | 17.5 | 56.5°C |
BLO | 17 | 204°C |
Cyclohexanone | 14 | 155°C |
Electronics:
NMP is used as photoresist stripper, for defluxing, degreasing and cleaning.
NMP is a solvent for the production of FCCL, polyamide/polyimide wire enamels, epoxy and polyurethane coatings, ...
Pharmaceuticals:
NMP can be used as solvent, extraction medium, …
Industrial and household cleaning:
NMP is used for paint stripping, in graffiti removers, oven cleaners, in automotive and industrial cleaner formulations, ...
Agrochemicals:
NMP can be used as solvent during synthesis or as a formulation agent.
Compatibility and Solubility
Solubility of other solvents in NMP
NMP is completely miscible with water, alcohols, ethers, ketones, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons, other aprotic solvents and vegetable oils. In the table below some examples of solvents miscible with NMP are shown:
| Glycols | Substituted pyrrolidones |
Dimethylformamide | Nitrobenzene |
Toluene | Ethanolamines |
Benzene | Glycerol |
Xylene | Chlorobenzene |
Tetrahydrofuran | Ethylene/propylene carbonate |
Compatibility of polymeric materials with NMP
NMP is commonly used as performance solvent for different types of plastics, resins, waxes and different types of paint formulations. In the table below some solubility data of different polymeric materials are presented.
| Polymer | Solubility |
Polyethylene | Insoluble |
Polypropylene | Insoluble |
Poly(ethylene/vinylacetate) | Insoluble |
Polyamide | Insoluble |
Polysulfone | Soluble |
Polycarbonate | Insoluble |
Polyacetal | Insoluble |
Polyphenylene oxide | Insoluble |
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) | Insoluble |
Polystyrene (PS) | Soluble |
Poly(styrene/acrylonitrile) | Soluble |
Poly(styrene/maleic anhydride) | Soluble |
Polymethyl methacrylate | Soluble |
Polyacrylonitrile | Soluble |
Cellulose Acetate | Soluble |
Polyesters | Soluble |
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) | Soluble |
Poly(vinyl acetate) | Soluble |
Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) | Soluble |
Packaging
- Bulk
- PE drums (222 kg net)
- IBC containers (1035 kg net)
Comments
Properties reported here are typical of average lots. Eastman makes no representation that the material in any particular shipment will conform exactly to the values given.