Pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA, sometimes PETTA, PETRA) is an organic compound. It is a tetrafunctional acrylateester used as a monomer in the manufacture of polymers.[1] As it is a polymerizable acrylate monomer, it is nearly always supplied with an added polymerisation inhibitor, such as MEHQ (monomethyl ether hydroquinone).
Uses
PETA is part of a family of acrylates used in epoxy resin chemistry and ultraviolet cure of coatings. Similar monomers used are 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate and trimethylol propane triacrylate. It is a derivative of pentaerythritol[2]
One of the key uses of the material is in polymeric synthesis where it can form micelles and block copolymers.[3][4]
The molecule's acrylate group functionality enables the molecule to do the Michael reaction with amines. It is therefore sometimes used in epoxy chemistry enabling a large reduction in cure time.[5] As the molecule has 4 functional acrylate groups it confers high cross-link density. Ethoxylation maybe used to produce ethoxylated versions which find use in electron beam curing.[6] The material also has pharmaceutical uses[7]
^petrov, P (2008). "Wormlike morphology formation and stabilization of Pluronic P123 micelles by solubilization of pentaerythritol tetraacrylate". The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B 112(30) (30): 8879–8883. doi:10.1021/jp8008767. PMID18598071.