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      n-Butane
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      n-Butane
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      C4H10
      n-Butane

      Physical Properties

      Under solid (grey), liquid (blue) and vapor states (white) along the equilibrium curves

      • General properties
      • Solid phase
      • Liquid Phase
      • Gas Phase
      (P)
      log(P)
      Download
      • Molecular weight
        58.122
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        /

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        151.98
        °C
         305.564 °F 425.13 K
      • Pressure
        37.96
        bar
         3.796E6 pa 550.563 lbf/in2 37.4636 Atm 3796 Kpa 2.8472E4 mmHg
      • Density
        228
        kg/m³
         14.2335 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 138.26
        °C
         - 216.868 °F 134.89 K
      • Pressure
        6.736E-6
        bar
         6.736E-1 pa 9.7697E-5 lbf/in2 6.6479E-6 Atm 6.736E-4 Kpa 5.0524E-3 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 138.29
        °C
         - 216.922 °F 134.86 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        80.193
        kJ/kg
         34.4999 Btu/lb 19.1666 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density (at boiling point)
        601.26
        kg/m³
         37.5353 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 0.49
        °C
         31.118 °F 272.66 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        385.71
        kJ/kg
         165.9367 Btu/lb 92.1869 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.5911E-1
        9.6616E-1
        9.6996E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.1188
        1.1102
        1.1052
      • Dynamic viscosity
        6.769E-5
        Po
         6.769 µPa.s 6.769E-6 PA.S 4.5486E-6 lb/ft/s
        7.1524E-5
        Po
         7.1524 µPa.s 7.1524E-6 PA.S 4.8062E-6 lb/ft/s
        7.4054E-5
        Po
         7.4054 µPa.s 7.4054E-6 PA.S 4.9762E-6 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        2.709
        kg/m³
         1.6912E-1 lb/ft³
        2.709
        kg/m³
         1.6912E-1 lb/ft³
        2.709
        kg/m³
         1.6912E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        2.703
        kg/m³
         1.6874E-1 lb/ft³
        2.5436
        kg/m³
         1.5879E-1 lb/ft³
        2.4487
        kg/m³
         1.5287E-1 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        1.6426
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.9259E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1642.6 J/kg∙K 3.9259E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.6944
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.0497E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1694.4 J/kg∙K 4.0497E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.7317
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.1389E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1731.7 J/kg∙K 4.1389E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        1.4682
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.5091E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1468.2 J/kg∙K 3.5091E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.5263
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.6479E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1526.3 J/kg∙K 3.6479E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.5668
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.7447E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1566.8 J/kg∙K 3.7447E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        222.44
        mol/mol
        236.38
        mol/mol
        245.54
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        3.274E-2
        mol/mol
        2.244E-2
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        2.08
        2.08
        2.08
      • Specific volume
        0.37
        m³/kg
         5.9268 ft³/lb
        3.931E-1
        m³/kg
         6.2969 ft³/lb
        4.084E-1
        m³/kg
         6.5419 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        14.189
        mW/m∙K
         8.2037E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.2209E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.3913E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.4189E-2 W/(m∙K)
        15.59
        mW/m∙K
         9.0137E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.3414E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.7261E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.559E-2 W/(m∙K)
        16.564
        mW/m∙K
         9.5769E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.4252E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.9589E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.6564E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        1.0339
        bar
         1.0339E5 pa 14.9954 lbf/in2 1.0204 Atm 103.39 Kpa 775.4909 mmHg
        1.7644
        bar
         1.7644E5 pa 25.5904 lbf/in2 1.7413 Atm 176.44 Kpa 1323.4125 mmHg
        2.4368
        bar
         2.4368E5 pa 35.3428 lbf/in2 2.4049 Atm 243.68 Kpa 1827.7554 mmHg
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      C4H10
      n-Butane

      Liquid / Gas Volumes

      Calculate a liquid or gas volume or a mass

      Liquid Phase

      At boiling point at 1.013 bar

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)

      Gas Phase

      at 1.013 bar and boiling point

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)
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      C4H10
      n-Butane

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      N-Butane is used in calibration gas mixtures for petrochemical industry, environmental emission monitoring and trace impurity analyzers.

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Other

      N-Butane is used as a propellant for aerosol production.

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      C4H10
      n-Butane

      Safety & Compatibility

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS02
        Flammable

      Autoignition Temperature in Air at Patm and Flammability Limits in Air at Patm and 293.15 K (except if the temperature is indicated)

      • Europe (according to EN1839 for Limits and EN 14522 for autoignition temperature)

        • Auto-ignition temperature
          392
          °C
           737.6 °F 665.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          1.4
          vol%
           1.4E4 ppm 1.4E4 ppm 1.4E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          9.4
          vol%
           9.4E4 ppm 9.4E4 ppm 9.4E-2 vol/vol

      • US (according to NFPA for Limits and ASTM E659 for autoignition temperature)

        • Auto-ignition temperature
          287
          °C
           548.6 °F 560.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          1.9
          vol%
           1.9E4 ppm 1.9E4 ppm 1.9E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          8.5
          vol%
           8.5E4 ppm 8.5E4 ppm 8.5E-2 vol/vol

      Odor

      Faintly disagreeable

      Metals

      • Aluminium
        Satisfactory
      • Brass
        Satisfactory
      • Monel
        Satisfactory
      • Copper
        Satisfactory
      • Ferritic Steel
        Satisfactory
      • Stainless steel
        Satisfactory
      • Zinc
        Satisfactory
      • Titanium
        No data

      Plastics

      • Polytetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polychlorotrifluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinylidene fluoride
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinyl chloride
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polycarbonate
        Not recommended
      • Polyamide
        Satisfactory
      • Polypropylene
        Satisfactory

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Not recommended
        significant swelling
      • Nitrile rubber NBR
        Satisfactory
      • Chloroprene
        Satisfactory
      • Chlorofluorocarbons
        Satisfactory
      • Silicon
        Not recommended
        significant swelling and modification of the properties of the material
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Neoprene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyurethane
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        Not recommended
        significant swelling and modification of the properties of the material

      Lubricants

      • Hydrocarbon based lubricant
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass
      • Fluorocarbon based lubricant
        Satisfactory

      Materials compatibility

      Recommendations : Air Liquide has gathered data on the compatibility of gases with materials to assist you in evaluating which materials to use for a gas system. Although the information has been compiled from what Air Liquide believes are reliable sources (International Standards: Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas content; Part 1- Metallic materials: ISO11114-1 (March 2012), Part 2 - Non-metallic materials: ISO11114-2 (April 2013), it must be used with extreme caution and engineering judgement. No raw data such as these can cover all conditions of concentration, temperature, humidity, impurities and aeration. It is therefore recommended that this table is only used to identify possible materials for applications at high pressure and ambient temperature. Extensive investigation and testing under the specific conditions of use need to be carried out to validate a material selection for a given application. Contact the regional Air Liquide team for expertise service.

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      C4H10
      n-Butane

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      n-Butane is one of the structural isomers of Butane, an organic compound with the formula C4H10 that is an alkane with four carbon atoms. The name butane comes from the roots "but-" from "butyric acid". Butane is mainly used as a fuel for domestic use (gas stove, water heater) and for extras (heating). n-Butane is prepared by pressurized distillation of liquefied petroleum gas or by purification of natural gas. It is solvable in aclohol and ether but not so much in water. Mostly inert, it needs a catalyst to participate in chimical reactions, except for combustion with dioxygen. Butanes are highly flammable, colorless, easily liquefied gases.

      C4H10

      n-Butane