Methanol

CH₃OH
CAS Number 67-56-1
UN1230 (gas)

Molecule
Properties
Applications
Safety & Compatibility
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Liquid / Gas Volumes

Calculate the volume or mass of a quantity of gas or liquid

Liquid Phase

At boiling point at 1.013 bar

m³ (Volume)

kg (Mass)

Gas Phase

In standard conditions (1.013 bar, 15°C)

m³ (Volume)

kg (Mass)

Physical Properties

Download the set of data (XLS - 83.49 KB)

General Properties
Solid Phase
Liquid Phase
Gas Phase

Molecule phase diagram showing the transition phases between solid, liquid and gas as a function of temperature and pressure

Pressure (bar)

- Molar mass 32.042 g/mol
- Content in dry air /
Critical Point
- Temperature 239.35 °C
- Pressure 80.84 bar
- Density 273.86 kg/m³
Triple Point
- Temperature -97.54 °C
- Pressure 1.86E-6 bar

Pressure 1.013 bar

Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)	100.34 kJ/kg
Melting point	- 97.68 °C

Pressure 1.013 bar

Boiling point	64.48 °C
Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)	1101.1 kJ/kg
Liquid density (at boiling point)	748.36 kg/m³

Pressure 1.013 bar

0 °C
15 °C
25 °C

Gas density (at boiling point)	1.221 kg/m³
Vapor pressure	3.95E-2 bar

Vapor pressure

9.76E-2 bar

Vapor pressure

1.683E-1 bar

Applications

Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

Automotive

Methanol is used for the heat treatment of metallic pieces in vehicles. Methanol can also be used as fuel, for instance in blend with gasoline.

Chemicals

Methanol is widely used in the chemical industry to produce other chemicals. It is used for the synthesis of resins, acetic acid, olefins such as ethylene and propylene, or formaldehyde.

Laboratories & Research Centers

Methanol is used as solvant in liquid chromatography and UV spectroscopy.

Metal fabrication

Methanol is used for the heat treatment of metallic products.

Safety & Compatibility

Major Hazards
Material Compatibility

GHS02

Flammable

GHS06

Acute Toxicity

GHS08

Serious health hazard

Autoignition Temperature, Flammability Limits & Flash Point

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

Autoignition temperature (Chemsafe)	440 °C
Flash point (Chemsafe)	9 °C
Lower flammability limit (IEC 80079-20-1)	6 vol%
Upper flammability limit (IEC 80079-20-1)	50 vol%

US (according to ASTM E681 for Limits and ASTM E659 for autoignition temperature)

Autoignition temperature (NFPA 325)	464 °C
Flash point (NPFA 325)	11 °C
Lower flammability limit (NFPA 325)	6 vol%
Upper flammability limit (NFPA 325)	36 vol%

Threshold of toxicity

ILV-8h EU (at Patm and 293.15 K)	260 mg/m³ or 200 ppm
PEL USA OSHA (vol)	200 ppm
VLEP 8h France (at Patm and 293.15 K)	260 mg/m³ or 200 ppm
VLEP CT France (at Patm and 293.15 K)	1300 mg/m³ or 1000 ppm

Metals

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

Plastics

Polytetrafluoroethylene	No data
Polychlorotrifluoroethylene	No data
Polyvinylidene fluoride	No data
Polyvinyl chloride	No data
Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene	No data
Polycarbonate	No data
Polyamide	No data
Polypropylene	No data

Elastomers

Butyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber	No data
Nitrile rubber	No data
Chloroprene	No data
Chlorofluorocarbons	No data
Silicone	No data
Perfluoroelastomers	No data
Fluoroelastomers	No data
Neoprene	No data
Polyurethane	No data
Ethylene-Propylene	No data

Lubricants

Hydrocarbon based lubricant	No data
Fluorocarbon based lubricant	No data

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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More information

Methanol was isolated for the first time in 1661 by Robert Boyle. He gives him the name of "spirit of the woods." In 1834, Jean Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Melchior called it "methylene" in connection with Greek words: "methy" (wine) and "hyle" (wood).