Vinyl Ester
Vinyl ester is an epoxy-backbone resin dissolved in styrene and peroxide-cured like unsaturated polyester (ASTM C581 test family), available neat, novolac, elastomer- and urethane-modified, low-styrene-emission and flame-retardant, plus glass, carbon and mineral-filled laminate grades.
Reference datasheet — Vinyl Ester is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the NEAT condition
Vinyl Ester grades and fills
Vinyl Ester is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. NEAT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 10 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mineral/silica-filled vinyl ester | For acid-proof floor mortars, brick-lining bedding and thick trowelled coatings where shrinkage and cost must drop. | 30 | 0.6 | ||
Elastomer-modified (rubber-toughened) vinyl ester | Choose for impact, abrasion, thermal-shock and adhesion-critical linings; trades ~15 °C of HDT for toughness. | 76 | 9 | ||
Flame-retardant vinyl ester (brominated or ATH-filled), UL 94 V-0 /… | Required for ducting, scrubbers, mass transit and offshore FRP where fire code applies. | 76 | 4.5 | ||
Novolac (phenolic) epoxy vinyl ester | Pick when service exceeds ~100 °C or the medium contains hot acids, solvents or oxidizers. | 78 | 3.5 | ||
Urethane-modified vinyl ester | Use for high HDT with good toughness/adhesion in pultrusion, gratings and cured-in-place liners. | 80 | 6 | 88 Shore D | |
Low-styrene-emission / low-VOC vinyl ester | Choose for open-mold shop work under VOC limits; mechanical properties near standard grade but interlaminar bonding needs sanding. | 80 | 5 | 87 Shore D | |
NEATDefault Neat cast resin | Default general-purpose corrosion resin for tanks, pipe and FRP linings up to ~95 °C. | 84 | 5.5 | 88 Shore D | |
Glass-reinforced laminate, ~30 wt% chopped strand mat | Standard corrosion-tank/pipe laminate body: isotropic, easy to build up, moderate strength. | 120 | 1.8 | ||
Glass-reinforced, ~55–65 wt% continuous roving | Highest structural efficiency for pressure pipe, tank hoop layers and pultruded profiles; properties are directional. | 550 | 2 | ||
Carbon-fiber reinforced vinyl ester laminate | Niche stiffness-critical corrosion/marine parts and VARTM structures where glass is too flexible. | 1,000 | 1.2 |
What is Vinyl Ester?
Vinyl ester is an epoxy-backbone resin dissolved in styrene and peroxide-cured like unsaturated polyester (ASTM C581 test family), available neat, novolac, elastomer- and urethane-modified, low-styrene-emission and flame-retardant, plus glass, carbon and mineral-filled laminate grades. It delivers 84 MPa tensile strength, 5.5% elongation, 120 °C Tg, 95 °C service temperature and a corrosion resistance score of 85, so it is used where UP resin is chemically attacked. It costs more than polyester, still emits styrene and needs an 80–120 °C post-cure for full properties; epoxy is the next step for structural laminates. Vinyl Ester has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 120°C (248 °F). Vinyl Ester has a tensile strength of 84 MPa (12.2 ksi), stronger than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 5.5% and the elastic modulus is 3.3 GPa (0.479 Msi).
What is Vinyl Ester used for?
- Chemical storage tanks/piping
- Corrosion-resistant composite linings
- Marine composites
Advantages
- Stiff — 3.3 GPa (0.479 Msi), better than 80% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Low fracture toughness — 0.85 MPa·√m (0.774 ksi·√in), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
Vinyl Ester properties
Typical room-temperature values for Vinyl Ester-NEAT; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
Vinyl Ester has a density of 1.13 g/cm³ (0.0408 lb/in³), lighter than 62% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 120°C (248 °F).
Mechanical15
Vinyl Ester has a tensile strength of 84 MPa (12.2 ksi), stronger than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 5.5% and the elastic modulus is 3.3 GPa (0.479 Msi).
Thermal10
Vinyl Ester is rated for continuous service to 95°C (203 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 60 µm/m·K (33.3 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
Vinyl Ester is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 17 kV/mm (431.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹³ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 65% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Vinyl Ester takes about 80 MJ of energy and emits 5 kg of CO₂ — less than 85% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability6
Vinyl Ester's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. Vinyl Ester is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Vinyl Ester
Is Vinyl Ester easy to machine?
Cut/drill cured laminate with carbide or PCD tooling, low feed and dust extraction — the styrene-cured matrix chips and glass is highly abrasive.
Can Vinyl Ester be welded?
Not weldable; joints are made by secondary hand lay-up (butt-strap) or by methacrylate/epoxy structural adhesive on sanded, solvent-wiped surfaces.
Can Vinyl Ester be formed, bent or molded?
Processed liquid by hand lay-up, spray-up, filament winding, pultrusion, RTM/VARTM; MEKP 1–2 phr with cobalt promoter, gel 15–30 min at 25 °C, then post-cure 2–4 h at 80–120 °C to reach full Tg and chemical resistance.
Vinyl Ester chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| bisphenol-A epoxy methacrylate oligomer novolac-epoxy methacrylate in high-temperature grades | 50 – 65 | 58 |
| styrene (reactive diluent)some grades substitute vinyl toluene / low-VOC diluents | 33 – 45 | 40 |
| inhibitor (hydroquinone type)shelf-life stabiliser | 0.01 – 0.05 | 0.02 |
| cobalt octoate / DMA acceleratorpre-promoted grades | 0.1 – 0.5 | 0.3 |
| MEKP initiator (added at use)phr on resin, room-temperature cure | 1 – 2 | 1.5 |
| brominated bisphenol-A backbone (FR gradwith Sb2O3 synergist for V-0 | 0 – 20 | 0 |
| glass fiber (laminate variants)E-glass or ECR-glass CSM / roving | 0 – 65 | 30 |
What surface finishes work on Vinyl Ester?
Finish with a resin-rich veil/C-glass surfacing layer or pigmented gel coat; wax-free layers must be sanded before recoating, and outdoor parts need a UV-stabilized topcoat or paint.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Vinyl Ester in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- VE
- Similar grades
- C581
How much does Vinyl Ester cost?
Vinyl Ester is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Vinyl Ester — frequently asked
What is Vinyl Ester used for?
Vinyl Ester is typically used for chemical storage tanks/piping, corrosion-resistant composite linings and marine composites. In short: corrosion-grade FRP matrix; tougher than polyester; cheaper than epoxy.
What is the tensile strength of Vinyl Ester?
Vinyl Ester has a typical tensile strength of 84 MPa (12.2 ksi) — stronger than 85% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is Vinyl Ester easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades). Cut/drill cured laminate with carbide or PCD tooling, low feed and dust extraction — the styrene-cured matrix chips and glass is highly abrasive.
Can Vinyl Ester be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Not weldable; joints are made by secondary hand lay-up (butt-strap) or by methacrylate/epoxy structural adhesive on sanded, solvent-wiped surfaces.
What surface finishes work on Vinyl Ester?
Finish with a resin-rich veil/C-glass surfacing layer or pigmented gel coat; wax-free layers must be sanded before recoating, and outdoor parts need a UV-stabilized topcoat or paint.
Can Vinyl Ester be formed, bent or molded?
Processed liquid by hand lay-up, spray-up, filament winding, pultrusion, RTM/VARTM; MEKP 1–2 phr with cobalt promoter, gel 15–30 min at 25 °C, then post-cure 2–4 h at 80–120 °C to reach full Tg and chemical resistance.
What is the maximum service temperature of Vinyl Ester?
Vinyl Ester is rated for continuous use to about 95°C (203 °F), and briefly to 120°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Vinyl Ester cost?
Vinyl Ester is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Derakane and Derakane Momentum epoxy vinyl ester resins — product and chemical resistance guides — Ashland / INEOS Composites (2022)
- ASTM D638 / D790 / D648 / D256 / D570 test methods for plastics — ASTM International (2022)
- ASTM C582 — Contact-Molded Reinforced Thermosetting Plastic Laminates for Corrosion-Resistant Equipment — ASTM International (2021)
- Engineered Materials Handbook, Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics / Vol. 1 Composites — ASM International (1988)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.