Bio-based ethyl lactate

CAS 687-47-8

Bio-based ethyl lactate:
ASTROBIO™ EL, sample on request.

ASTROBIO™ EL is our ethyl lactate (CAS 687-47-8): a bio-based ethyl ester of natural lactic acid, fully miscible with water and many organic solvents, with a high boiling point, a slow evaporation rate and great solvency power for many resins, polymers and soils. A valid alternative to fossil solvents in coatings, inks, cleaners and strippers.

Food grade (FCC) available

Technical data sheets in the Reserved Area

Answers from our chemists

A drop of clear green bio-based solvent falling from the same glass pipette into a green pool

Solvent to replace

MEK

MEK, MIBK and mineral spirits

The bio-based twins

ASTROBIO™ EL

CAS 687-47-8

ASTROBIO™ EL is a bio-based ethyl ester of natural lactic acid.

Water

ASTROBIO™ EL is fully miscible with water and with many other organic solvents, and is easily rinsable with water.

Safer

ASTROBIO™ EL is a safer choice than mineral spirits, MEK or MIBK for cleaning vessels, tanks, semi-bulk bins and reactors.

FCC

ASTROBIO™ EL is available in food grade (FCC) for food-industry additives, detergents, inks, adhesives, lacquers and coatings.

One ASTROBIO™ grade: bio-based ethyl lactate.

ASTROBIO™ EL replaces fossil solvents in cleaning and formulation. Tell us your use and we suggest how to test it.

ASTROBIO™

EL

Replaces

MEK

MIBK

Mineral spirits

ASTROBIO™ EL cleans vessels, tanks, semi-bulk bins and reactors, makes ink cleaners, adhesive removers, hand wipes, paint strippers, graffiti removers and textile stain removers, and formulates coatings, lacquers, paints, varnishes and inks as an alternative to many fossil solvents.

Technical data sheet

Flash point, evaporation rate, solubility parameters and the other values are in each grade's technical data sheet, available after registration.

Request your sample

Why choose bio-based ethyl lactate.

Available in

FCC

Food grade ethyl lactate, used as an additive in the food industry.

Origin

Natural lactic acid

ASTROBIO™ EL is a bio-based ethyl ester of natural lactic acid (CAS 687-47-8). It is bio-based, from renewable raw materials.

Solvency

Mixes with water and with solvents

Fully miscible with water and with many other organic solvents, with a high boiling point, a slow evaporation rate and great solvency power for many kinds of resins, polymers and soils.

Safer

A safer choice for cleaning

A safer choice than mineral spirits, MEK or MIBK for cleaning vessels, tanks, semi-bulk bins and reactors, and safer than other fossil-based solvents due to its CLP and GHS classification.

A summary for orientation, not legal advice: always check the current texts and your safety data sheets.

ASTROBIO™ EL does the job of fossil solvents with a lighter label.

In words, not figures: the measured values are in the technical data sheets.

Origin

Fossil solvents

Petrochemical.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Bio-based ethyl ester of natural lactic acid.

Label

Fossil solvents

Your benchmark.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Safer than other fossil-based solvents due to its CLP and GHS classification.

Cleaning

Fossil solvents

Your benchmark.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Better cleaning power and reduced solvent usage than many other fossil-based solvents.

Rinsing

Fossil solvents

Your benchmark.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Easily rinsable with water.

Drying

Fossil solvents

Your benchmark.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Dries completely and leaves no residue.

Smell

Fossil solvents

Your benchmark.

ASTROBIO™ EL

Fruity and pleasant smell.

Where ASTROBIO™ EL works today.

As an ingredient in your formulations or directly in your process.

Industrial robot spraying a coating on a metal panel in a paint booth

EL

Coatings, lacquers and paints

ASTROBIO™ EL is a valid alternative to many fossil solvents in coatings, lacquers, paints, varnishes and inks based on acrylics, epoxies, alkydics, vinylics, phenolics, melamines, urethanes, polyesters and ABS resins.

See the applications
Basket of machined metal parts lifted out of an industrial cleaning tank

EL

Cleaning vessels and reactors

A safer choice than mineral spirits, MEK or MIBK for cleaning vessels, tanks, semi-bulk bins and reactors.

See the applications
Old paint layer lifting from a steel panel revealing clean metal

EL

Paint strippers and graffiti removers

ASTROBIO™ EL is used to make paint strippers and graffiti removers, especially when blended with ASTROBIO™ G4.

See paint strippers
Automated nozzle dispensing a bead of adhesive on an aluminium part

EL

Ink cleaners and adhesive removers

ASTROBIO™ EL makes ink cleaners, adhesive removers, hand wipes and textile stain removers.

See the applications

Eyewear

EL

Eyewear manufacturing

ASTROBIO™ EL is also used in eyewear manufacturing, with outstanding results.

See the applications

FCC

EL

Food industry

Food grade ASTROBIO™ EL is used as an additive in the food industry and to produce food-grade detergents, inks, adhesives, lacquers and coatings.

See the applications

From fossil solvents to ASTROBIO™ EL in four steps.

01

Ask for a sample

Tell us your solvent, your application and your process: we suggest the grade to test.

02

Read the data sheet

Register to the Reserved Area and download the technical data sheet of the suggested grade.

03

Test it against your current solvent

Run your usual lab method side by side with your current recipe. When your application needs it, we adapt the blend.

04

Pilot, then supply

Confirm the result on your line, then switch to the grade that passed your tests.

How to get ASTROBIO™ EL.

Astrobio is a European supplier of bio-based ethyl lactate for coatings, inks and cleaning, with samples and technical data sheets.

Request your sample

Sample

On request, with the form on this page: our chemists suggest the grade to test.

Data sheets

In the Reserved Area, after registration.

Grade

ASTROBIO™ EL, with a food grade (FCC) version.

Custom blends

When your application needs it, we adapt the blend.

Contact

+39 0331 296654 · [email protected]

Buyers' questions on ethyl lactate.

Can't find yours? Ask our chemists.

Request your sample

ASTROBIO™ EL is a safer choice than mineral spirits, MEK or MIBK for cleaning vessels, tanks, semi-bulk bins and reactors, and a valid alternative to many fossil solvents in coatings, lacquers, paints, varnishes and inks. In formulations, test it in your lab against your current recipe.

Yes. ASTROBIO™ EL is available in food grade (FCC) and is used as an additive in the food industry, to produce food-grade detergents, inks, adhesives, lacquers and coatings.

Yes. ASTROBIO™ EL is fully miscible with water and with many other organic solvents, and is easily rinsable with water.

Fill in the sample request form on this page with your solvent, application and work email: our chemists suggest which grade to test. Once registered to the Reserved Area, you can also download the technical data sheets.

Astrobio is a European supplier of bio-based ethyl lactate replacements for coatings, inks and cleaning, developing bio-based solvents in Italy since 2006. Samples are available on request, with technical data sheets in the Reserved Area.

Ethyl lactate (CAS 687-47-8) is the ethyl ester of lactic acid, used as a solvent. ASTROBIO™ EL is our bio-based ethyl lactate, made from natural lactic acid, free of aromatics, ketones, paraffins, halogens and terpenics, with a fruity and pleasant smell.

Request your
ASTROBIO™ EL sample.

Tell us how you clean or formulate today: our chemists suggest the grade to test and send you a sample.

A sample of the suggested grade

Its technical data sheet

A chemist who reads your process

Already registered? Log in for the data sheets

Request sent

Thank you. We have received your request: we will reply by email.

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