What Is 3 Vinyloxazolidin 2 One?

2026-11-12

3-Vinyloxazolidin-2-one (CAS 4271-26-5) is a low-viscosity, highly reactive, strong-adhesion, low-odour and low-toxicity vinyl-based reactive monomer. It is primarily used as a reactive diluent or copolymer in UV curing systems and is particularly suitable for low-energy surfaces (PP/PE), UV inkjet printing, adhesives and low-odour, environmentally friendly formulations.

What Are the Core Properties of NVO?

CAS	4271-26-5
Molecular formula	C₅H₇NO₂
Molecular weight	113.11
Appearance	Colourless to pale yellow transparent liquid
Viscosity (25 °C)	≈5–8 mPa·s (extremely low, similar to water)
Solubility	Fully miscible with water, alcohols, esters, ketones and acrylate systems
Curing type	Radical UV curing; highly compatible with acrylates

NVO Vs. NVC: Why Choose NVO?

The greatest value of NVO lies in its ease of production as a room-temperature liquid, with a low odour, greater regulatory safety and superior resistance to evaporation; on most ink substrates, its adhesion is comparable to that of NVC.

Comparison Item	NVC	NVO
Form at Ambient Temperature	Solid, melting point ≈34~38°C. Must be melted before feeding. Prone to crystallisation in winter, causing blockage of pipelines and filters.	Liquid at room temperature. No heating required. Easier feeding, pumping and inkjet delivery.
Homopolymer Tg	High Tg delivers better coating hardness and abrasion resistance.	Lower Tg than NVC. Hardness decreases slightly after substitution. while toughness is improved.
Curing Activity & Oxygen Inhibition	High reactivity, excellent resistance to oxygen inhibition; faster curing under a mercury lamp.	Good reactivity, inferior to NVC in anti‑oxygen‑inhibition performance; smaller performance gap in LED curing systems.
Adhesion	Strong adhesion to PET, PE, PP, ABS, metal and glass; a classic adhesion monomer in the industry.	Good adhesion, compatible with most substrates as an alternative to NVC; slightly weaker performance on low‑surface‑energy plastics.
Odor & Irritation	Distinct acrylamide‑like odor with obvious residual odor.	Much lower odor; ideal for low‑odor ink formulations.
Yellowing Resistance	From moderate to medium. There is no amine structure, but it is extremely hygroscopic and hydrophilic. The coatings tend to turn slightly yellow after high-temperature baking or storage in high humidity; they are sensitive to white inks and transparent coatings.	Superior. Free of easily oxidizable amine or aromatic moieties. Low odor and low residue, less yellowing tendency for white inks, clear coats and light‑coloured systems; greater advantages under LED curing.
Viscosity & Diluting Power	Very low viscosity after melting and excellent diluting capacity.	Low viscosity at room temperature; diluting power slightly lower than molten NVC.
Regulatory & Toxicity Risk	Subject to regulatory scrutiny; restricted in some overseas markets, raising concerns for export‑oriented customers.	More favourable toxicological profile with lower compliance risk, suitable for food packaging and indoor ink applications.
Storage	Prone to self‑polymerisation under prolonged ambient storage or high temperature; demanding storage conditions.	Stable in the liquid state during storage, resistant to crystallisation.

What Is NVO Used For?

NVO (CAS 4271-26-5) is an important functional vinyl monomer, used primarily as an active diluent in high-performance UV curing systems.

Excellent adhesion: This polymer exhibits excellent adhesion to common substrates, particularly to materials that are difficult to coat, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
High reactivity: It exhibits high copolymerisation reactivity with acrylates, making it suitable for lamp-curable printing and coating systems.
Ideal substitute: In applications such as UV inkjet printing inks, it can replace N-vinylcaprolactam or N-vinylpyrrolidone, offering both high reactivity and low viscosity.

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