Ethyl Acetate
Buy Lab, ACS/USP/NF, NF/FCC Food Grade and HPLC Grade Ethyl Acetate, in Stock Now.
Buy ethyl acetate online in the grade your formulation or lab method actually needs, with the price shown up front. Lab Grade covers general solvent use, cleaning and extraction. ACS/USP/NF Grade meets American Chemical Society, USP and National Formulary standards for pharmaceutical and research applications. NF/FCC Grade, Kosher is the food grade option, used in coffee and tea decaffeination and as a flavor solvent, and it's Kosher certified. HPLC Grade is purified for chromatography, still one of the most common solvents in that field. There's also a ready mixed Methyl Alcohol 70% / Ethyl Acetate 30% blend for applications that call for that exact combination.
Every product ships with its SDS and COA posted online, and sizes run from 500 mL bottles up to 55 gallon drums. Ethyl acetate is a flammable, volatile solvent with that familiar sweet, fruity smell (it's part of why it's used in nail polish remover), so like the rest of our solvent catalog it ships to business, lab and school addresses rather than residential ones.
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Ethyl Acetate - 1 products About Ethyl Acetate
C4H8O2, the ester you get when ethanol reacts with acetic acid, which is exactly why it carries that sweet, fruity, almost pear drop smell. At room temperature it's a clear, volatile, flammable liquid, boiling at a fairly low 77°C, and it's miscible with water, alcohols, acetone, chloroform and ether. That low boiling point and broad miscibility are really the whole reason it shows up in so many different industries. It evaporates fast and cleanly, which is handy in nail polish and coatings, and it dissolves a wide range of both polar and nonpolar compounds, which is why it works so well as a chromatography solvent and an extraction medium.
COMMON APPLICATIONS
Solvent for extraction, paints and column chromatography, where it's one of the most widely used organic solvents in the field. Nail polish, nail polish remover and other manicure preparations, since its low boiling point lets polish spread and dry quickly. Coffee and tea decaffeination, where its polarity makes it effective at pulling caffeine out of beans and leaves. A direct and indirect food additive, recognized as GRAS for flavoring use. Hardener and additive in paint and coating formulations. Adhesive manufacturing, printing inks, and perfume and hair care product formulation. And a general degreasing and cleaning solvent across several industries.
GRADES EXPLAINED
Lab Grade is solid, everyday purity with no official monograph, a lower cost option for general solvent and cleaning use. ACS/USP/NF Grade meets American Chemical Society purity limits along with USP and National Formulary standards, making it suitable for pharmaceutical, research and compounded preparation work. NF/FCC Grade meets food chemical and National Formulary standards and is the one to reach for in food, flavor or decaffeination applications; it's also Kosher certified. HPLC Grade is purified and tested specifically to avoid noise or ghost peaks in chromatography runs.
TYPES & GRADES AT A GLANCE
General purpose purity for solvent use, cleaning and extraction work.
Meets ACS, USP and NF standards, suitable for pharmaceutical and research applications.
Food grade ethyl acetate for decaffeination and flavor use, Kosher certified.
Purified and tested for chromatography and analytical methods.
A ready mixed solvent blend for applications that call for this exact ratio.
WHY BUY FROM LAB ALLEY
256,000+ customers already order their solvents and chemicals from Lab Alley. 99.5% of orders ship within 1 to 2 business days, and 98.9% inventory accuracy means the grade you see in stock is the grade that ships. SDS and COA are available online for every ethyl acetate product, and our NF/FCC Grade carries Kosher certification; check each product page for which applies.
Related: See our Acetone and Methanol collections, or browse all Solvents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy ethyl acetate online?
Right here. We carry ethyl acetate in Lab, ACS/USP/NF, NF/FCC Food Grade and HPLC grades, plus a methanol blend, from 500 mL bottles up to 55 gallon drums. Pick the grade and size, check the price, and order with no quote needed for standard sizes. Most in stock orders ship within 1 to 2 business days.
Lab grade vs ACS vs food grade, what's the difference?
Purity and intended use, mostly. Lab Grade is solid everyday purity without an official standard, good for general solvent and cleaning work. ACS/USP/NF Grade meets American Chemical Society, USP and National Formulary standards, built for pharmaceutical and research applications. NF/FCC Grade meets food chemical standards and is the one to use for decaffeination, flavoring or any application where the ethyl acetate ends up in a food or drink product.
Which ethyl acetate is Kosher certified?
Just the NF/FCC Grade. It's the food grade option on this page and the one Kosher certified product in the lineup. The Lab, ACS/USP/NF, HPLC and methanol blend products don't carry Kosher, Halal or any other certification, so check the specific product title if certification matters for your order.
What is ethyl acetate used for?
A surprisingly wide range of things. It's one of the most common solvents in chromatography, a key ingredient in nail polish and nail polish remover thanks to its fast evaporation, and the solvent of choice for decaffeinating coffee and tea. On the industrial side it shows up in paint and coating formulations, adhesives, printing inks, and perfume and hair care manufacturing. It's also recognized as a safe flavoring additive in food.
Do I need a permit, and can ethyl acetate ship to a home address?
No purchase permit is required. Ethyl acetate does ship as a DOT regulated flammable liquid (UN1173, Class 3, Packing Group II), so it's restricted to business, lab or school delivery addresses rather than residential ones. Each product page lists its specific shipping details, and Customer Care at 512-668-9918 can confirm before you order if you're not sure your address qualifies.
Which grade should I buy?
Match it to the application. General solvent, cleaning or extraction work: Lab Grade. Pharmaceutical, compounded preparations or research methods naming ACS, USP or NF: ACS/USP/NF Grade. Food, flavor or decaffeination use: NF/FCC Grade, Kosher. Chromatography or analytical methods: HPLC Grade. Need the specific 70/30 methanol and ethyl acetate ratio: the premixed blend saves you from measuring it out yourself.
Is ethyl acetate the same thing used in nail polish remover?
Essentially, yes. The ethyl acetate in nail polish remover is the same chemical we sell, just formulated with the same solvent properties that make it spread and dry so fast. Our products are sold for laboratory, industrial and food processing use rather than as a finished consumer product, so they're not packaged or labeled for retail cosmetic use, but the underlying chemistry is identical.
Can I buy ethyl acetate in bulk?
Yes. Lab Grade and ACS/USP/NF Grade both scale up through 5 gallon pails and 55 gallon drums right on the product page. For pallets or a recurring delivery schedule, request pricing through Bulk & Custom Chemicals. Autoship takes 10% off eligible repeat orders.
How should ethyl acetate be stored?
Keep it tightly sealed in its original container, in a cool, well ventilated area away from heat, sparks and open flames, since it's a flammable solvent. Store it away from strong oxidizers and strong acids or bases. The Chemical Storage Compatibility Chart is worth a check if you're storing it near other reactive chemicals.
Guides & Resources
Ethyl Acetate in the Cosmetics Industry
Introduction Ethyl acetate is a common and versatile solvent which finds its way into many cosmetic applications – either as a direct in...
Read article → Industries That Use Ethyl Acetate
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