What is MEKO – The paints story

What is MEKO?

What is MEKO? MEKO stands for Methylethyl Ketone Oxime which is an organic compound with the formula C₂H₅C(NOH)CH₃.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

Appearance:      colourless liquid

Density:                              0.923 g/cm3

Melting point:      −15 °C (5 °F; 258 K)

Boiling point:    152 °C (306 °F; 425 K)

SYNONYMS

• MEK-oxime
• Butanone oxime
• Methyl ethyl ketone oxime
• 2-BUTANONE OXIME
• Ethyl methyl ketoxime
• USAF EK-906
• Ethyl-methylketonoxim
• UNII-51YGE935U9
• 2-Butanone, oxime
• Methyl ethyl ketoxime
• 51YGE935U9
• Troykyd anti-skin B
• Skino #2
• USAF AM-3
• WLN: QNUY2&1
• Ethyl-methylketonoxim [Czech]
• CCRIS 1382
• 96-29-7
• NSC 442
• EINECS 202-496-6
• BRN 1698241

CHEMICAL REACTIVITY

Reactive Group: –

• Oximes

Reactivity Alerts: –

• Highly Flammable
• Decomposes at Elevated Temperatures (<120 deg. C)

Air and Water Reactions:-

• Highly flammable.
• Water

Reactivity Profile:-

• MEKO is sensitive to heat.
• Has exploded at least twice when heated in the presence of acidic impurities.
• Reacts with oxidizing agents.
• Mixtures with strong acids may explode.
• Reacts with sulfuric acid to form an explosive product.

APPLICATIONS

• Adhesives and sealant chemicals
• Paint additives and coating additives not described by other categories
• Solvents (which become part of product formulation or mixture

IN PAINT INDUSTRY

MEKO, as it is called in the paint industry, is used to suppress “skinning” of paints: the formation of a skin on paint before it is used, hence is a popular anti-skinning agent.

Skinning is the biggest nuisance in protective coatings. Skinning causes the avoidable waste of a costly coating material.
Paint containers are not always filled to the brim. So air present in a void reacts with the paint, thereby causing oxidation and polymerization of the coating at the air/paint interface. This results in formation of a solid skin during storage.
The lost of paint due to skinning is estimated to be as much as 3 to 5%. This not only worries the consumers but also the manufacturers when it comes to filling of small containers. The minute doze of an effective anti-skinning agent can alleviate the difficulty of skinning.

what is MEKO: Chemical property of MEKO which is useful in paint industry :-

MEKO functions by binding the drying agents, metal salts that catalyze the oxidative crosslinking of drying oils.

Once the paint is applied to a surface, MEKO evaporates, thereby allowing the drying process to proceed. Other antiskinning agents have been used, including phenol-based antioxidants, but these tend to yellow the paint.

HEALTH HAZARDS:-

• Symptoms of exposure to this compound may include slight eye and skin irritation.
• If gets absorbed through the skin can cause harmful effects on the blood and nervous system.
• If inhaled in greater amounts can give rise to symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or burning in the mouth, throat, or chest may also develop.
• It may interfere with alcohol metabolism resulting in the formation of acetaldehyde, blotchy red marks, red eyes, tiredness and visible veins.

FIRE HAZARDS:-

• This chemical is combustible.
• Fires involving this material can be controlled with a dry chemical, carbon dioxide or Halon  A water spray may also be used.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:-

• MEKO has minimal potential to accumulate in the bodies of humans or animals. It is readily biodegradable and will not persist in the environment.
• When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Find our TDS on our MEKO product page: Click Here

Download our TDS as a PDF