Pentaerythritol

Pentaerythritol (CAS 115-77-5) is a polyol building block used in coatings, lubricants and polymer manufacturing. Also known as PE.

Where is Pentaerythritol used?

• Alkyd resins: reacts with fatty acids and phthalic anhydride for decorative and industrial paints
• Printing inks and adhesives: esterified with rosin or tall oil to give tackifiers and binders
• Synthetic lubricants: esters deliver high thermal stability in aviation and industrial gear oils
• Hindered phenol antioxidants: protects polyolefins, PVC and rubber compounds during processing
• Its four reactive hydroxyl groups make it a high-functionality platform for esterification and crosslinking.
• Acts as the carbon (char) source in halogen-free intumescent flame-retardant coating systems, together with ammonium polyphosphate and melamine.
• In intumescent systems, ammonium polyphosphate forms acidic species, pentaerythritol carbonizes into a dense protective layer, and melamine releases gas to swell the char layer.
• Alkyd resins made from pentaerythritol are used in two-component sealant systems for challenging applications.
• Used as a polyurethane crosslinking agent to provide branched chains in polyurethane.

Good to know: Two principal commercial grades: mono-pentaerythritol with minimum 98% purity and technical-grade blends containing di-pentaerythritol. Food-contact and FCC-compliant grades are available where regulatory documentation is required.

Formulation notes

• Alkyd resins made from pentaerythritol dry faster and have higher hardness, colour stability and gloss stability than those made with glycerine.
• Incompatible with organic acids and oxidizers.
• May react with cellulose-based absorbents.
• Dense dust clouds of powdered pentaerythritol should be avoided and appropriate industrial safety measures applied, as with all organic powders.

Typical specification

• Melting point 255–265 °C.
• Dipentaerythritol is a higher-functionality polyol used in UV resins, high-performance polyester resins and specialty synthetic esters.
• Density approximately 1.39 g/cm³ at 20 °C.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Should be stored in cool, dry and well-ventilated warehouses.

Frequently asked questions about Pentaerythritol

In which UV-curable applications is pentaerythritol used?

It is used in UV-curable resins, and its esterification can produce pentaerythritol triacrylate, which is used as a coating.

What should buyers evaluate when selecting a pentaerythritol grade?

Buyers should evaluate the mono pentaerythritol ratio and the dipentaerythritol content.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.