Citriflex 84
Acetyl tributyl citrate, the non-phthalate plasticizer with FDA food contact clearance and an EU 10/2011 listing. Flash point 204 degrees C.
Acetyl tributyl citrate, the non-phthalate plasticizer with FDA food contact clearance and an EU 10/2011 listing. Flash point 204 degrees C.
Citriflex 84 is acetyl tributyl citrate, CAS 77-90-7, a clear liquid non-phthalate plasticizer made by esterifying citric acid with butanol and then acetylating it. Because the citric acid comes from fermentation, the material carries a measurable bio-based carbon content.
It is compatible across an unusually wide set of polymers: acrylic and methacrylic, ethylcellulose and hydroxymethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylpyrrolidone, vinylidene chloride, and urethane systems.
The regulatory position is what usually decides it. Citriflex 84 is cleared by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.515, 175.105, 175.300, 175.320, 178.391 and 181.27, and it is listed in Annex I of EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastics intended for food contact as FCM substance number 138. It is not an SVHC, it is not classified under CLP or the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, and it is not listed under SARA 313, the hazardous air pollutants list or California Proposition 65.
Flash point is 204 degrees C by Cleveland open cup, confirmed against the factory's current test method on 5 August 2026. An older 217 degrees C figure by ASTM D93 appears on pre-2026 documents and has been retired, so use 204 degrees C.
The acute oral LD50 in rat is 31,500 mg/kg or greater and the Ames test result is not mutagenic. On biodegradation the honest answer is that there is no product-specific study: the manufacturer's position is that it is expected to be readily biodegradable from its chemical characteristics, while published OECD 301D closed-bottle data for the substance shows 16 percent in 28 days, which does not meet the ready criterion by that test. We state both rather than one.
Heavy metals are controlled to lead 10 ppm, mercury 1 ppm, cadmium 1 ppm and chromium 1 ppm maximum, which clears the packaging-waste sum limit in EU Regulation 2025/40 and the US Toxics in Packaging legislation with room to spare. The substance is registered under EU REACH and holds a UK REACH DUIN, and it is listed on the TSCA Inventory as active, on the Canadian DSL, EINECS, and the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Australian, New Zealand and Philippine inventories.
The CAS Registry Number is 77-90-7. It is also written as acetyl tributyl citrate, ATBC, tributyl acetylcitrate, tributyl O-acetylcitrate, acetyltributylcitrate, and citric acid acetyl tributyl ester.
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear liquid |
| Active content | 99 percent minimum |
| Acid value | 0.2 mg KOH/g maximum |
| Colour | 30 Pt/Co maximum |
| Moisture | 0.15 percent maximum |
| Heating loss | 0.2 percent maximum |
| Refractive index at 25 degrees C | 1.4410 to 1.4425 |
| Flash point | 204 degrees C, Cleveland open cup |
| Form | Liquid |
These are specification limits from the technical data sheet, not typical values. Every batch is released against them and the certificate of analysis reports the measured result. We will send the current TDS and the batch documentation your qualification needs.
Tell us the binder system, the property you are targeting, and the volume you expect. We will confirm the grade, send the documentation, and ship a sample from North American stock.
FDA cleared and listed in EU 10/2011 Annex I as FCM substance 138.
The standard non-phthalate route for flexible PVC that has to stay food-contact compliant.
A cellulosic plasticizer with low volatility.
Compatible with nitrocellulose, which most non-phthalate plasticizers are not.
Named on the data sheet.
Named on the data sheet.
Named on the data sheet, alongside acrylic and methacrylic systems generally.
A non-plasticizer use the data sheet lists.
It is specified where the formulation needs non-phthalate chemistry, bio-based carbon content, measurable by astm d6866, fda and eu food-contact clearance, low volatility, with a flash point of 204 degrees c, and broad compatibility across polar and cellulosic polymers.
Citriflex 84 is a clear liquid and meters cold. Viscosity is 40.4 square mm/s at 20 degrees C and specific gravity is 1.045 to 1.055. Water solubility is negligible at 0.00449 g/l at 20 degrees C, so it stays in the polymer phase.
Moisture is specified at 0.15 percent maximum. Keep drums closed and store out of direct sun. Shelf life is two years.
If you are replacing a phthalate, expect to adjust the loading rather than substitute one for one. Tell us the resin, the current phthalate and the loading, and we will suggest a starting point and send a sample.
Package sizes: 441 lb (200 kg) steel drums, 2,425 lb (1,100 kg) IBCs, and bulk tankers.
Storage: Two years shelf life. Store in the original sealed packaging in a cool, dry place out of direct sun.
Not classified under CLP or the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, not an SVHC, and not listed under SARA 313, the Clean Air Act hazardous air pollutants list or California Proposition 65. Cleared by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.515, 175.105, 175.300, 175.320, 178.391 and 181.27, and listed in Annex I of EU Regulation 10/2011 as FCM substance number 138. Registered under EU REACH, with a UK REACH DUIN in place. Listed on the TSCA Inventory as active, the Canadian DSL, EINECS, and the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Australian, New Zealand and Philippine inventories. Not dangerous goods: non-regulated by DOT, IMDG and IATA, and the standard 200 kg steel drums carry no UN marking because none is required.
Yes, on both sides of the Atlantic. It is cleared by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.515, 175.105, 175.300, 175.320, 178.391 and 181.27, and it is listed in Annex I of EU Regulation 10/2011 as FCM substance number 138. We send the food contact compliance statement with the data sheets on request. Swiss, German ink ordinance, Chinese GB 9685 and Italian food-contact positions are outside what we can support today, so ask us before you rely on one.
CAS 77-90-7, EC number 201-067-0. The chemical name is acetyl tributyl citrate and it is almost always written ATBC in a formulation. It is a single substance rather than a mixture.
The honest answer is that it depends which evidence you accept, and we will give you both. There is no product-specific biodegradation study. The manufacturer's position is that it is expected to be readily biodegradable based on its chemical characteristics, and the data sheet says exactly that. Published OECD 301D closed-bottle data for the substance shows 16 percent in 28 days, which does not meet the ready criterion by that test. If a claim has to survive a customer audit, use the 301D figure and the manufacturer statement together.
Not usually at the same loading. ATBC is compatible across a wide set of polymers including PVC, nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate and acrylics, but efficiency differs from a phthalate and the level normally needs adjusting. Send us the resin, the phthalate you are removing and the current loading, and we will suggest a starting point and ship a sample.
204 degrees C by Cleveland open cup. That is the factory's current test method, confirmed 5 August 2026. A 217 degrees C figure by ASTM D93 appears on documents issued before 2026 and has been retired. If you have a specification sheet quoting 217 degrees C, ask us for the current one.
No. It is not dangerous goods and is non-regulated by DOT, IMDG and IATA. The standard 200 kg steel drums carry no UN marking because none is required for it. Bulk tankers and 1,100 kg IBCs are also available.
Yes. We send the Technical Data Sheet (TDS), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), Certificate of Analysis (COA), TSCA statement, EU REACH registration certificate, UK REACH DUIN certificate, Restricted substances declaration (PFAS, nitrosamines, bisphenols, MOSH and MOAH), Heavy metals statement, and Food contact compliance statement on request, in the current revision. Use Request TDS or SDS above and tell us what your qualification review needs.
Why ATBC, when, and what documentation comes with it.
The grade in detail, and the systems it is specified in.
How ATBC compares against the other non-phthalate options.
Working through a phthalate replacement without losing performance.
What migration costs you, and which plasticizers stay put.