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      Ethane
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      Ethane
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      C2H6
      Ethane

      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
        30.069
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        /

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        32.17
        °C
         89.906 °F 305.32 K
      • Pressure
        48.722
        bar
         4.8722E6 pa 706.6526 lbf/in2 48.0849 Atm 4872.2 Kpa 3.6545E4 mmHg
      • Density
        206.18
        kg/m³
         12.8714 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 182.78
        °C
         - 297.004 °F 90.37 K
      • Pressure
        1.13E-5
        bar
         1.13 pa 1.6389E-4 lbf/in2 1.1152E-5 Atm 1.13E-3 Kpa 8.4757E-3 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 183.3
        °C
         - 297.94 °F 89.85 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        95.081
        kJ/kg
         40.9049 Btu/lb 22.7249 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density
        543.83
        kg/m³
         33.9501 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 88.58
        °C
         - 127.444 °F 184.57 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        489.4
        kJ/kg
         210.5453 Btu/lb 116.9694 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9005E-1
        9.9156E-1
        9.924E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.2093
        1.1998
        1.1939
      • Dynamic viscosity
        8.6129E-5
        Po
         8.6129 µPa.s 8.6129E-6 PA.S 5.7876E-6 lb/ft/s
        9.0594E-5
        Po
         9.0594 µPa.s 9.0594E-6 PA.S 6.0877E-6 lb/ft/s
        9.3541E-5
        Po
         9.3541 µPa.s 9.3541E-6 PA.S 6.2857E-6 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        2.054
        kg/m³
         1.2823E-1 lb/ft³
        2.054
        kg/m³
         1.2823E-1 lb/ft³
        2.054
        kg/m³
         1.2823E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.3547
        kg/m³
         8.4571E-2 lb/ft³
        1.2822
        kg/m³
         8.0045E-2 lb/ft³
        1.2381
        kg/m³
         7.7292E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        1.6635
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.9759E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1663.507 J/kg∙K 3.9759E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.7188
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.1081E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1718.813 J/kg∙K 4.1081E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.7572
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.1997E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1757.159 J/kg∙K 4.1997E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        1.3756
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.2878E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1375.603 J/kg∙K 3.2878E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.4325
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.4239E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1432.538 J/kg∙K 3.4239E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.4718
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.5177E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1471.8 J/kg∙K 3.5177E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        401.44
        mol/mol
        424.14
        mol/mol
        439.25
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        4.556E-5
        mol/mol
        3.401E-5
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        1.05
        1.05
        1.05
      • Specific volume
        7.382E-1
        m³/kg
         11.8248 ft³/lb
        7.799E-1
        m³/kg
         12.4928 ft³/lb
        8.077E-1
        m³/kg
         12.9381 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        17.961
        mW/m∙K
         1.0385E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.5454E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.2928E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.7961E-2 W/(m∙K)
        19.741
        mW/m∙K
         1.1414E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.6986E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.7182E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.9741E-2 W/(m∙K)
        20.984
        mW/m∙K
         1.2132E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.8055E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 5.0153E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.0984E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        23.8803
        bar
         2.388E6 pa 346.3543 lbf/in2 23.568 Atm 2388.03 Kpa 1.7912E4 mmHg
        33.7746
        bar
         3.3775E6 pa 489.859 lbf/in2 33.3329 Atm 3377.46 Kpa 2.5333E4 mmHg
        41.8744
        bar
         4.1874E6 pa 607.3366 lbf/in2 41.3268 Atm 4187.44 Kpa 3.1408E4 mmHg
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      C2H6
      Ethane

      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)
      Retour
      C2H6
      Ethane

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Chemicals

      Ethane is used in the production of organic synthesis intermediates, e.g. ethylene chloride is produced from ethane by the chlorination process.

      Chemicals
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      C2H6
      Ethane

      Safety & Compatibility

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS02
        Flammable
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure

      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
          515
          °C
           959 °F 788.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          2.4
          vol/%
           2.4E4 ppm 2.4E4 ppm 2.4E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          14.8
          vol/%
           1.48E5 ppm 1.48E5 ppm 1.48E-1 vol/vol

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

        • Auto-ignition temperature
          472
          °C
           881.6 °F 745.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          3
          vol/%
           3.E4 ppm 3.E4 ppm 0.03 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          12.5
          vol/%
           1.25E5 ppm 1.25E5 ppm 1.25E-1 vol/vol

      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
        No data
      • Polyamide
        Satisfactory
      • Polypropylene
        Satisfactory

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass
      • Nitrile rubber NBR
        Satisfactory
      • Chloroprene
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass
      • Chlorofluorocarbons
        Satisfactory
      • Silicon
        Not recommended
        significant loss of mass
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Neoprene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyurethane
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        Not recommended
        significant 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.

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      C2H6
      Ethane

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Ethane was first discovered by Michael Faraday in 1834, when he electrolyzed a solution of potassium acetate. The name has been derived from "ether", which comes from Latin "aether" and Greek "aithēr", meaning "upper air."

      C2H6

      Ethane