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      Ethylene
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      Ethylene
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      C2H4
      Ethylene

      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
        28.05
        g/mol
      • Content in air
        /

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        9.2
        °C
         48.56 °F 282.35 K
      • Pressure
        50.42
        bar
         5.042E6 pa 731.28 lbf/in2 49.7607 Atm 5042 Kpa 3.7818E4 mmHg
      • Density
        214.2
        kg/m³
         13.372 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 169.16
        °C
         - 272.488 °F 103.99 K
      • Pressure
        1.22E-3
        bar
         122 pa 1.7695E-2 lbf/in2 1.204E-3 Atm 1.22E-1 Kpa 9.1508E-1 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 169.15
        °C
         - 272.47 °F 104 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        119.45
        kJ/kg
         51.3887 Btu/lb 28.5492 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density
        567.65
        kg/m³
         35.4372 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 103.77
        °C
         - 154.786 °F 169.38 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        482.41
        kJ/kg
         207.5382 Btu/lb 115.2988 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9247E-1
        9.9361E-1
        9.9426E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.2651
        1.2535
        1.2461
      • Dynamic viscosity
        9.4697E-5
        Po
         9.4697 µPa.s 9.4697E-6 PA.S 6.3634E-6 lb/ft/s
        9.98E-5
        Po
         9.98 µPa.s 9.98E-6 PA.S 6.7063E-6 lb/ft/s
        1.0318E-4
        Po
         10.318 µPa.s 1.0318E-5 PA.S 6.9334E-6 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        2.088
        kg/m³
         1.3035E-1 lb/ft³
        2.088
        kg/m³
         1.3035E-1 lb/ft³
        2.088
        kg/m³
         1.3035E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.2608
        kg/m³
         7.8709E-2 lb/ft³
        1.1938
        kg/m³
         7.4526E-2 lb/ft³
        1.153
        kg/m³
         7.1979E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        1.459
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.487E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1458.966 J/kg∙K 3.487E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.5048
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.5966E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1504.813 J/kg∙K 3.5966E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.5375
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.6747E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1537.504 J/kg∙K 3.6747E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        1.1533
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.7564E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1153.262 J/kg∙K 2.7564E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.2008
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.87E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1200.82 J/kg∙K 2.87E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.2338
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.9489E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1233.832 J/kg∙K 2.9489E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        450.23
        mol/mol
        475.5
        mol/mol
        492.32
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        /
        /
      • Specific gravity
        0.98
        0.98
        0.98
      • Specific volume
        7.932E-1
        m³/kg
         12.7058 ft³/lb
        8.377E-1
        m³/kg
         13.4187 ft³/lb
        8.676E-1
        m³/kg
         13.8976 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        17.369
        mW/m∙K
         1.0042E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.4945E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.1513E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.7369E-2 W/(m∙K)
        19.099
        mW/m∙K
         1.1043E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.6433E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.5648E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 1.9099E-2 W/(m∙K)
        20.326
        mW/m∙K
         1.1752E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 1.7489E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 4.858E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.0326E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        41.0148
        bar
         4.1015E6 pa 594.8691 lbf/in2 40.4785 Atm 4101.48 Kpa 3.0764E4 mmHg
        41.0148
        bar
         4.1015E6 pa 594.8691 lbf/in2 40.4785 Atm 4101.48 Kpa 3.0764E4 mmHg
        41.0148
        bar
         4.1015E6 pa 594.8691 lbf/in2 40.4785 Atm 4101.48 Kpa 3.0764E4 mmHg
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      C2H4
      Ethylene

      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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      C2H4
      Ethylene

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Chemicals

      In term of quantity produced, ethylene is the most important organic chemical. Ethylene is the feedstock in the manufacture of the most important polymer: polyethylene. It is also converted to ethylene oxide, it is a precursor to ethylene glycol, ethylbenzene, styrene and to various kinds of polyethylene, to ethylene dichloride and to vinyl chloride.

      Chemicals

      Food

      Ethylene is used to stimulate and regulate the ripening of various fruits, such as tomatoes and bananas.

      Food

      Metal fabrication

      Ethylene is used in oxycutting.

      Metal fabrication
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      C2H4
      Ethylene

      Safety

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS02
        Flammable
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure
      • GHS07
        Health hazards

      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
          440
          °C
           824 °F 713.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          2.4
          vol/%
           2.4E4 ppm 2.4E4 ppm 2.4E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          32.6
          vol/%
           3.26E5 ppm 3.26E5 ppm 3.26E-1 vol/vol

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

        • Auto-ignition temperature
          450
          °C
           842 °F 723.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          2.7
          vol/%
           2.7E4 ppm 2.7E4 ppm 2.7E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          36
          vol/%
           3.6E5 ppm 3.6E5 ppm 0.36 vol/vol

      Odor

      Sweet

      Metals

      • Aluminium
        Satisfactory
      • Brass
        Satisfactory
      • Monel
        Satisfactory
      • Copper
        Not recommended
      • Ferritic Steel
        Satisfactory
      • Stainless steel
        Satisfactory
      • Zinc
        Satisfactory
      • Titanium
        no data

      Plastics

      • Polytetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polychlorotrifluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinylidene fluoride
        Satisfactory
      • Polyvinyl chloride
        no data
      • Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
        Satisfactory
      • Polycarbonate
        no data
      • Polyamide
        Satisfactory
      • Polypropylene
        Satisfactory

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Satisfactory
      • Nitrile rubber
        no data
      • Chloroprene
        no data
      • Chlorofluorocarbons
        no data
      • Silicon
        no data
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Nitrile rubber
        Satisfactory
      • Neoprene
        Satisfactory
      • Polyurethane
        no data
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        no data

      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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      C2H4
      Ethylene

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Ethylene activity as a plant hormon stimulating ripening was discovered in 1901 by a Russian scientist named Dimitry Neljubowas. However in Egypt and China, the principle has been used for thousands of years.

      C2H4

      Ethylene