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      Methane
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      Methane
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      CH4
      Methane

      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
        16.043
        g/mol
      • Content in air
        2
        ppm
         2 ppm 2.E-4 vol/% 2.E-6 vol/vol

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        - 82.59
        °C
         - 116.662 °F 190.56 K
      • Pressure
        45.99
        bar
         4.599E6 pa 667.0283 lbf/in2 45.3886 Atm 4599 Kpa 3.4495E4 mmHg
      • Density
        162.7
        kg/m³
         10.157 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 182.46
        °C
         - 296.428 °F 90.69 K
      • Pressure
        1.1696E-1
        bar
         1.1696E4 pa 1.6964 lbf/in2 1.1543E-1 Atm 11.696 Kpa 87.7275 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 182.46
        °C
         - 296.428 °F 90.69 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        58.682
        kJ/kg
         25.2457 Btu/lb 14.0253 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density
        422.36
        kg/m³
         26.367 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 161.48
        °C
         - 258.664 °F 111.67 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        510.83
        kJ/kg
         219.7648 Btu/lb 122.0913 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9761E-1
        9.9802E-1
        9.9825E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.3164
        1.3104
        1.3062
      • Dynamic viscosity
        1.0245E-4
        Po
         10.245 µPa.s 1.0245E-5 PA.S 6.8843E-6 lb/ft/s
        1.0741E-4
        Po
         10.741 µPa.s 1.0741E-5 PA.S 7.2176E-6 lb/ft/s
        1.1067E-4
        Po
         11.067 µPa.s 1.1067E-5 PA.S 7.4367E-6 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        1.816
        kg/m³
         1.1337E-1 lb/ft³
        1.816
        kg/m³
         1.1337E-1 lb/ft³
        1.816
        kg/m³
         1.1337E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        7.173E-1
        kg/m³
         4.4779E-2 lb/ft³
        6.797E-1
        kg/m³
         4.2432E-2 lb/ft³
        6.567E-1
        kg/m³
         4.0996E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        2.181
        kJ/(kg.K)
         5.2128E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 2181.014 J/kg∙K 5.2128E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        2.2094
        kJ/(kg.K)
         5.2805E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 2209.375 J/kg∙K 5.2805E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        2.2316
        kJ/(kg.K)
         5.3337E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 2231.628 J/kg∙K 5.3337E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        1.6567E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         3.9597E-2 BTU/lb∙°F 165.674 J/kg∙K 3.9597E-2 kcal/kg∙K
        1.6864
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.0306E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1686.405 J/kg∙K 4.0306E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        1.7085
        kJ/(kg.K)
         4.0835E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 1708.533 J/kg∙K 4.0835E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        588.82
        mol/mol
        621.4
        mol/mol
        643.12
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        3.122E-5
        mol/mol
        2.552E-5
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        0.56
        0.56
        0.56
      • Specific volume
        1.3942
        m³/kg
         22.3329 ft³/lb
        1.4713
        m³/kg
         23.568 ft³/lb
        1.5227
        m³/kg
         24.3913 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        30.57
        mW/m∙K
         1.7675E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.6303E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 7.3064E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 3.057E-2 W/(m∙K)
        32.563
        mW/m∙K
         1.8827E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.8018E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 7.7827E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 3.2563E-2 W/(m∙K)
        33.931
        mW/m∙K
         1.9618E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.9195E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 8.1097E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 3.3931E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        /
        /
        /
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      CH4
      Methane

      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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      CH4
      Methane

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Chemicals

      The main current chemical usage of methane is the production of synthesis gas (Syngas), H2 and CO via Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) of natural gas. Synthesis gas is then converted into methanol, oxo-alcohols, ammonia and hydrocarbons. Methylhalogenides (e.g. methylchloride), HCN and acetylene are also produced from methane.

      Chemicals

      New energies

      Methane is the main component of natural gas, a primary energy resource widely used in the energy sector for the production of heat and/or electricity. Natural gas as compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) are increasingly used as fuels for vehicles to reduce transport emissions and improve air quality.

      New energies

      Hospital care

      Methane is a component of a gaseous mixture used for pulmonary function diagnosis test.

      Hospital care

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Methane is used in calibration gas mixtures for petrochemical industry, environmental emission monitoring, industrial hygiene monitors and trace impurity analyzers. In mixture with argon, methane is used in Geiger counter and in X-ray fluorescence detector as quentching gas. In mixture with other hydrocarbons, methane is used as reference point in calorimetric measurements of hydrocarbons or coal.

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Metal

      Methane can be used in blast furnace and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plants, as well as cooling agent for tuyeres.

      Metal

      Electronic components

      Methane provides carbon source to silicon film to adjust the light absorption bandgap in silicon thin film photovoltaics.

      Electronic components
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      CH4
      Methane

      Safety

      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
          595
          °C
           1103 °F 868.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          4.4
          vol/%
           4.4E4 ppm 4.4E4 ppm 4.4E-2 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          17
          vol/%
           1.7E5 ppm 1.7E5 ppm 0.17 vol/vol

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

        • Auto-ignition temperature
          537
          °C
           998.6 °F 810.15 K
        • Flash point
          /
        • Lower flammability limit
          5
          vol/%
           5.E4 ppm 5.E4 ppm 0.05 vol/vol
        • Upper flammability limit
          15
          vol/%
           1.5E5 ppm 1.5E5 ppm 0.15 vol/vol

      Odor

      none

      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 swelling
      • Nitrile rubber
        Satisfactory
      • Chloroprene
        Satisfactory
      • Chlorofluorocarbons
        Satisfactory
      • Silicon
        Satisfactory
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Satisfactory
      • Nitrile rubber
        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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      CH4
      Methane

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Methane was discovered between 1776 and 1778 by Alessandro Volta. It can be found in natural gas reservoirs below ground and oceans. When in the atmosphere, it contributes to the GreenHouse effect, i.e it retains heat on earth.

      CH4

      Methane