Where's MEK?

[GregGleason]

I have been looking for MEK in a variety of home centers but "no joy". The best I have been able to find is MEK Substitute.

Where else can I look?

Greg

 

[troj]

Check a hardware store -- ACE, etc. Not a home center.

Lowe's, Home Depot, Menard's, etc just sell what they can sell in high volume. Westlake, ACE, etc are more likely to stock those items that don't sell a gob of.

-Kevin

 

[Onebadhawk]

I have a quart of MEK that I got at Homer Depot ??????
It was a while ago though........

Teddy

 

[powderburner]

IIRC, that stuff was pronounced to be "bad" a few years back (carcinogen?) and its use fell off significantly (at least, out at the plant). It might not even be available anymore? (Don't you LOVE it when all those environmental do-gooders step in to "help" you, whether you want it or not?)

 

[chadrog]

What is MEK? I thought it was an airport.

 

[Winston]

I have been looking for MEK in a variety of home centers but "no joy". The best I have been able to find is MEK Substitute.

Where else can I look?

Greg

See if the "where to buy" button here does anything for you:

https://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=85&prodid=103

 

[Onebadhawk]

Methyl Ethel Ketone
It's a solvent
I'm pretty sure it's still listed on the label of
spray paints like the ones in home cheapo.......

Teddy

 

[Winston]

What is MEK? I thought it was an airport.

It's not only a solvent, it's also a group "Mujahedin-e-Khalq" that was on the US terrorist organization list until 2012 when they were removed, probably because at that point they were only attacking US enemies (seriously).

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

It's not only a solvent, it's also a group "Mujahedin-e-Khalq" that was on the US terrorist organization list until 2012 when they were removed, probably because at that point they were only attacking US enemies (seriously).

Now that Greg has done all these internet searches for MEK, he's probably on a watch list...

But I was looking for SOLVENT!

 

[Onebadhawk]

Now that Greg has done all these internet searches for MEK, he's probably on a watch list...

But I was looking for SOLVENT!

lol,,,lol,,,lol,,,,
That's freakin funny,,,,,,,,,,

Teddy

 

[fox_racing_guy]

Sherwin-Williams stocks it around here.

 

[GregGleason]

See if the "where to buy" button here does anything for you:

https://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=85&prodid=103

Thanks. I'll check that out.

It seemed like MEK used to be everywhere. Oh well, sign of the times I guess.

Greg

 

[hornet driver]

Planning on a little fiber glass work are we ???

 

[rstaff3]

I second the vote to look at a Sherwin-Willaims or other paint-only store. That's where I had to buy it here.

 

[bobkrech]

I have been looking for MEK in a variety of home centers but "no joy". The best I have been able to find is MEK Substitute.

Where else can I look?

Greg

MEK is Methyl Ethyl Ketone. It has the chemical structure CH3-CO-CH2-CH3.

MEK substitute is Ethyl Acetate. It has the chemical structure CH3-CO-O-CH3.

Acetone has the chemical structure CH3-CO-CH3.

All 3 are good solvents, and are usually interchangeable, but Ethyl Acetate is less toxic than MEK or Acetone. Ethyl Acetate also smells better than MEK which smells somewhat like rancid butter. Ethyl Acetate has replaced Acetone as nail polish remover for the same reason.

Bob

Note: Methyl Acetate, not Ethyl Acetate is CH3-CO-O-CH3 and is the substitute for MEK. Sigma has it wrong in their MSDS! Scratch the works Ethyl Acetate and substitute Methyl Acetate in the comments above.

 

[GregGleason]

MEK is Methyl Ethyl Ketone. It has the chemical structure CH3-CO-CH2-CH3.

MEK substitute is Ethyl Acetate. It has the chemical structure CH3-CO-O-CH3.

Acetone has the chemical structure CH3-CO-CH3.

All 3 are good solvents, and are usually interchangeable, but Ethyl Acetate is less toxic than MEK or Acetone. Ethyl Acetate also smells better than MEK which smells somewhat like rancid butter. Ethyl Acetate has replaced Acetone as nail polish remover for the same reason.

Bob

Thanks Bob. It's good to know the chemistry behind things.

Do you know if the acetone or MEK Substitute would work to thin PVC cement (MSDS)?

Greg

 

[mjennings]

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/Paint-Thinners-Strippers?navid=12106963&searchterm=mek

Used to work with an older guy who called it Business Trip. He apparently had spent some time working with it in poorly ventilated spaces.

opps the link is for substitute. if even MSC isn't carrying it is getting hard to find!

 

[Winston]

Now that Greg has done all these internet searches for MEK, he's probably on a watch list...

But I was looking for SOLVENT!

Innocent Google Searches For “Pressure Cooker” And “Backpacks” Lead To FBI Visit

https://medium.com/something-like-falling/2e7d13e54724

 

[bobkrech]

Thanks Bob. It's good to know the chemistry behind things.

Do you know if the acetone or MEK Substitute would work to thin PVC cement (MSDS)?

Greg

The reason why MEK use is being reduced is that it is once again listed as a HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutant) by EPA and is it also a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound). Ethyl Acetate and/or Methyl Propyl Ketone are not listed as HAPs so they are being used as MEK substitutes.

https://www.eastman.com/Literature_Center/T/TT33.pdf is a technical tip from Eastman Chemical on what other solvent(s) can be used as a substitute for MEK.

Acetone (Dimethyl Ketone or 2-Propanone), MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone or 2-Butanone) and MPK (Methyl Propyl Ketone or 2-Pentanone) are all ketones which are powerful solvents. The only significant chemical difference is the vapor pressure which is inversely proportional to molecular weight. As the vapor pressure gets lower the evaporation rate decreases, so the drying time (or working time) increases. Acetone will evaporate faster than MEK and giving a shorter working time, and MPK will evaporate more slowly than MEK giving a longer working time.

Methyl Acetate (MeOAc, acetic acid methyl ester or methyl ethanoate) is similar MEK with an -O- substituted for the -CH2- group on the MEK. Molecules with the structure R1-C(=O)-O-R2 where R1 and R2 are hydrocarbon chains are called esters, which are simply oxidized ketones. They are slightly less flammable than their equivalent molecular weight ketone.

Bob