Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate, or PGMEA for short, is an organic solvent that has found wide application in various industries due to its unique properties, especially in the electronics, pharmaceutical and coating industries.

Chemical structure and physical properties

PGMEA is a combination of a methoxy group (OCH₃), an acetate group (OCOCH₃) and a propyl chain. This structure gives this material special solubility and volatility properties. Some of the important physical properties of PGMEA are:

High solubility: It dissolves well in many organic solvents and some polymers.
Moderate volatility: Its evaporation rate is moderate, which is suitable for many applications.
Low viscosity: Its low viscosity makes it easy to pump and flow in various equipment.
Mild odor: It has an odor similar to esters and has less odor compared to some other solvents.

PGMEA Applications

Electronics Industry:
Photoresist Solvent: Used in the microelectronics industry to dissolve photoresists (light-sensitive materials).
Electronics Cleaning: Used to clean electronic components after manufacturing processes.
Pharmaceutical Industry:
Solvent in Drug Production: Used as a solvent in the production of various drugs.
Tablet Coating: Used to create a coating on tablets.
Coating Industry:
Solvent in Paints and Coatings: Used as a solvent in the production of paints, varnishes and industrial coatings.
Solvent in Printing Inks: Used as a solvent in the production of flexo and rotogravure printing inks