Cobalt acetate

Cobalt acetate (CAS 71-48-7), also sold as cobaltous diacetate, is an organometallic cobalt salt used primarily as a catalyst and metal source across chemical manufacturing and surface treatment industries. It delivers reactive cobalt in a soluble, processable form that integrates readily into industrial formulations and process baths. In polymer and plastics manufacturing, it functions as a catalyst or co-catalyst.

It is used in PET polymerization and oxidation reactions, influencing color and molecular weight outcomes. Textile and leather processors use it in dyeing and finishing baths to promote dye fixation and surface uniformity. In coatings and printing inks, it acts as a drier catalyst, accelerating oxidative cure in alkyd-based systems. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications draw on it as a cobalt precursor in synthesis processes.

It also serves as a trace metal supplement in fermentation media. The product is available as a pink to violet crystalline powder and in solution form, with the tetrahydrate being the most prevalent grade. Technical and reagent-grade specifications are standard across the market. Bulk supply is typically offered in fiber drums or intermediate bulk containers, with smaller packaging available for laboratory use.