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      Carbon dioxide
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      Carbon dioxide
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      CO2
      Carbon dioxide

      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
        44.01
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        400
        ppm
         400 ppm 0.04 vol/% 4.E-4 vol/vol

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        30.98
        °C
         87.764 °F 304.13 K
      • Pressure
        73.773
        bar
         7.3773E6 pa 1069.9865 lbf/in2 72.8083 Atm 7377.3 Kpa 5.5334E4 mmHg
      • Density
        467.6
        kg/m³
         29.1912 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 56.56
        °C
         - 69.808 °F 216.59 K
      • Pressure
        5.1867
        bar
         5.1867E5 pa 75.227 lbf/in2 5.1189 Atm 518.672 Kpa 3890.3707 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 56.57
        °C
         - 69.826 °F 216.58 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        204.93
        kJ/kg
         88.1632 Btu/lb 48.9794 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        1562
        kg/m³
         97.5123 lb/ft³
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density (at triple point (216.59 K, 5.18 b))
        1178.4
        kg/m³
         73.5649 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        /
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        /
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9326E-1
        9.9435E-1
        9.9496E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.3083
        1.2995
        1.2941
      • Dynamic viscosity
        1.3711E-4
        Po
         13.711 µPa.s 1.3711E-5 PA.S 9.2134E-6 lb/ft/s
        1.4446E-4
        Po
         14.446 µPa.s 1.4446E-5 PA.S 9.7073E-6 lb/ft/s
        1.4932E-4
        Po
         14.932 µPa.s 1.4932E-5 PA.S 1.0034E-5 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        2.813
        kg/m³
         1.7561E-1 lb/ft³
        2.813
        kg/m³
         1.7561E-1 lb/ft³
        2.813
        kg/m³
         1.7561E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.9763
        kg/m³
         1.2338E-1 lb/ft³
        1.8714
        kg/m³
         1.1683E-1 lb/ft³
        1.8075
        kg/m³
         1.1284E-1 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        8.2684E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.9762E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 826.835 J/kg∙K 1.9762E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        8.4124E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.0106E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 841.241 J/kg∙K 2.0106E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        8.5085E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.0336E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 850.852 J/kg∙K 2.0336E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        6.3202E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.5106E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 632.015 J/kg∙K 1.5106E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        6.4738E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.5473E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 647.376 J/kg∙K 1.5473E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        6.5749E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.5714E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 657.487 J/kg∙K 1.5714E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        /
        /
        /
      • Solubility in water
        /
        8.21E-4
        mol/mol
        6.15E-4
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        1.53
        1.53
        1.53
      • Specific volume
        5.06E-1
        m³/kg
         8.1053 ft³/lb
        5.344E-1
        m³/kg
         8.5603 ft³/lb
        5.532E-1
        m³/kg
         8.8614 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        14.674
        mW/m∙K
         8.4841E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.2626E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.5072E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.4674E-2 W/(m∙K)
        15.844
        mW/m∙K
         9.1606E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.3633E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.7868E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.5844E-2 W/(m∙K)
        16.643
        mW/m∙K
         9.6226E-3 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.432E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 3.9778E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.6643E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        34.9054
        bar
         3.4905E6 pa 506.2598 lbf/in2 34.449 Atm 3490.54 Kpa 2.6181E4 mmHg
        50.9921
        bar
         5.0992E6 pa 739.5776 lbf/in2 50.3253 Atm 5099.21 Kpa 3.8247E4 mmHg
        64.4789
        bar
         6.4479E6 pa 935.187 lbf/in2 63.6357 Atm 6447.89 Kpa 4.8363E4 mmHg
      return
      CO2
      Carbon dioxide

      Liquid / Gas Volumes

      Calculate a liquid or gas volume or a mass

      Liquid Phase

      At triple point at -56.57 °C and 5.112 atm

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)

      Gas Phase

      At 15°C and 1 atm

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)
      Retour
      CO2
      Carbon dioxide

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Aeronautics

      Carbon dioxide is used as a shielding gas for arc welding. Carbon dioxide snow is used to remove particles and organic residues from metals, polymers, ceramics and glasses. Calibrated mixtures of carbon dioxyde and nitrogen are used for the calibration of measuring equipments used for emission tests of engines.

      Aeronautics

      Automotive

      Carbon dioxide is used as a shielding gas for arc welding. Carbon dioxide snow cleaning removes particles and organic residues from metals, polymers, ceramics, glasses Carbon dioxide in nitrogen is used as span gas calibration mixtures in engine emissions testing.

      Automotive

      Beverage

      Carbon dioxide is used to carbonate beverages such as soft drinks, mineral water or beer and for wine maturation. Carbonic ice is used for controlling temperature during the distribution. Supercritical carbon dioxide is used to extract caffein from coffee.

      Beverage

      Chemicals

      Carbon dioxide is used as a raw material in chemical process like urea or methionine synthesis. Carbon dioxide is used in chemistry for controlling reactor temperatures. CO2 is also employed to neutralize alkaline effluents. Carbon dioxide is used under supercritical conditions for purifying or dying polymer, animal or vegetal fibers.

      Chemicals

      Electronic components

      Carbon dioxide is used as a cooling medium for the testing of electronic devices

      Electronic components

      Waste & Water management

      Carbon dioxide is used in many industries to master pH of liquid effluents, especially as an excellent alternative to sulfuric acid for pH balance control. It is used in water treatment to control pH of waste waters, swimming pools etc.

      Waste & Water management

      Food

      The food industry employs carbon dioxide for food processing applications such as chilling and freezing, modified atmosphere packaging and temperature control for products being stored and transported. Carbon dioxide increases the life of many food products thanks to it fungistatic and bacteriostatic properties. Food products are conditioned under Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). Carbon dioxide is also used in greenhouses to increase vegetal and plant growing.

      Food

      Hospital care

      Medical devices: carbon dioxide is used for laparoscopy (diagnostic performed in the abdomen), colonoscopy and cryo-dermatology. It is also used for the cryopreservation of cells cultures. Drug: carbon dioxide is used for prevention of hypocapnia (reduced carbon dioxide in the blood) during hyperventilation.

      Hospital care

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Supercritical carbon dioxide is used as mobile phase in both chromatography and extraction applications.

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Metal

      Carbon dioxide is used for environment protection : CO2 is used for red fume suppression during scrap and carbon charging, for nitrogen pick-up reduction during EAF tapping and for bottom stirring, in the non ferrous metallurgy, carbon dioxide is used for fume suppression during ladle transfer of matte (Cu/Ni production) or bullion (Zn/Pb production). Small amount of liquid CO2 can be used in recycling of waters from Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). CO2 lasers are fed with special grades of carbon dioxide

      Metal

      Pharma & Biotech

      Supercritical carbon dioxide is used to extract components (oils) from natural products. It is used to control the atmosphere (inerting) of processes. Carbon dioxide is a reactant in chemical synthesis. It is also used to transport products at low temperature (-78 °C/-108.4 °F/195.15K).

      Pharma & Biotech
      Retour
      CO2
      Carbon dioxide

      Safety

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure

      Metals

      • Aluminium
        Satisfactory
      • Brass
        Satisfactory
      • Monel
        Satisfactory
      • Copper
        Satisfactory
      • Ferritic Steel
        Satisfactory
        corrosive in presence of water
      • Stainless steel
        Satisfactory
      • Zinc
        Satisfactory
      • Titanium
        No data

      Plastics

      • Polytetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polychlorotrifluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinylidene fluoride
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinyl chloride
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polycarbonate
        Satisfactory
      • Polyamide
        Satisfactory
      • Polypropylene
        Satisfactory

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Not recommended
        significant swelling
      • Nitrile rubber NBR
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass and swelling
      • Chloroprene
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass and swelling
      • Chlorofluorocarbons
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass and swelling
      • Silicon
        Acceptable
        strong rate of permeation
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Neoprene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyurethane
        Not recommended
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        Acceptable
        significant loss of mass and swelling

      Lubricants

      • Hydrocarbon based lubricant
        Satisfactory
      • 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.

      Retour
      CO2
      Carbon dioxide

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Jean-Baptiste Van Helmont, a Flemisch chemist and physicist of the 17th century observed that the burning of wood coal in a closed vessel produces ashes of a mass inferior to the material introduced. His conclusion is that coal has been transformed into some invisible substance he called "gas". Carbon dioxide gas is formed by two elements: carbon and oxygen. Carbon dioxide is a part of Natural Carbon Cycle (NCC) where carbon dioxide is exchanged among three main carbon pools – land, atmosphere and ocean. The process, where carbon dioxide is consumed by plants and other organisms and converted into biomass is called photosynthesis. The process where CO2 is released by living species (humans, animals, plants) is called respiration. Apart of NCC there is an Anthropogenic Carbon Cycle (ACC or Manmade Carbon Cycle) where fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, crude oil) or biomass are burned to produce energy and carbon dioxide is released. Carbon dioxide is an essential gas for life. It functions as a Green House Gas (GHG) maintaining livable conditions on Earth. Carbon dioxide gas has a slightly irritating odor, is colorless and heavier than air. It freezes at -78.5 °C to form carbon dioxide snow, used in fired extinguishers.

      CO2

      Carbon dioxide