Cerium Octoate (CAS 7435-02-1)
| CAS No. | 7435-02-1 |
|---|---|
| Alias | Cerium 2-ethylhexanoate, Cerium(III) 2-ethylhexanoate, Cerium tris(2-ethylhexanoate) |
| Category | Driers |
| Packaging | 180 kg |
Grade PID E | Metal content 8±0.2%. Used as a lead-free drier and gloss enhancer in paints, varnishes, and coatings; promotes surface drying.
Introduction
Cerium octoate is a lead-free drier used where lead would otherwise have been specified, and it brings something the other metals do not: a gloss contribution. It accelerates surface and through-dry in alkyd systems while improving film hardness and the gloss of the finished coating.
Supplied as an 8.0 ± 0.2% cerium solution in 200# solvent oil, light yellow to brownish in colour, with good catalytic stability over storage.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Light yellow to brownish liquid. Cerium content 8.0 ± 0.2% Ce. Molecular formula Ce(C8H15O2)3. Density 0.94–0.98 g/cm³ at 20 °C, viscosity 20–40 mPa·s at 25 °C, flash point ≥40 °C closed cup, acid value ≤10 mg KOH/g, moisture ≤0.5%, colour Gardner ≤7.
Applications
Lead-free drier and gloss enhancer in alkyd paints, epoxy ester coatings, printing inks, varnishes and industrial finishes. Promotes uniform through-drying and reduces yellowing risk in clear coatings.
Regulatory status
Cerium octoate is positioned as a lead replacement, and that positioning needs to be understood correctly rather than taken at face value. Its advantage over lead driers is real and it rests on the lead side of the comparison, not on cerium having a clean sheet everywhere.
On cerium itself: no harmonised CLP classification, not on the REACH Candidate List, no Annex XIV action.
On the acid: cerium octoate is an octoate, so it is built on 2-ethylhexanoic acid, which carries a harmonised Repr. 1B classification under CLP entry 607-230-00-6 and was brought into Annex XVII Appendix 6 by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1132 from 1 December 2023. Being lead-free does not put it outside that. The finished coating carries H360D labelling.
On lead: it is worth knowing that the EU restriction on lead in paints sits in Annex XVII Entries 16 and 17, not Entry 63. A separate point that circulates incorrectly is the 0.5% lead-in-paint figure, which is not an EU limit; the comparable US figure is 0.009% under CPSIA since 2009. Denmark bans lead driers nationally.
21 CFR 175.300(b)(3)(xxii) lists cerium octoate among permitted US drier combinations, which is a genuine advantage for the US market.
Handling & Storage
Store cool, dry and well ventilated away from heat, sparks and open flames. Container tightly closed, protected from direct sunlight. Consult the SDS.
Packaging
25 kg and 200 kg drums. Shelf life 12 months sealed. COA and SDS supplied.
Applications & Industries
Coatings & Paints
Metal driers (cobalt, manganese, zirconium octoate, naphthenates) and photoinitiators for coatings, paints, varnishes and industrial finishes — with COA & MSDS per batch.
Paints & Varnishes Driers
Metal soap driers for alkyd and oil-based paints: cobalt, manganese, zirconium, cerium octoates and naphthenates with verified metal content, COA & MSDS per batch.
Related Products
Cobalt Octoate
Cobalt Octoate (PID B)
Manganese Octoate
Cobalt Naphthenate
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