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      Oxygen
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      Oxygen
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      O2
      Oxygen

      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
        31.999
        g/mol
      • Content in dry air
        2.0946E5
        ppm
         2.0946E5 ppm 20.946 vol% 2.0946E-1 vol/vol

      Critical Point

      • Temperature
        - 118.57
        °C
         - 181.426 °F 154.58 K
      • Pressure
        50.43
        bar
         5.043E6 pa 731.425 lbf/in2 49.7705 Atm 5043 Kpa 3.7826E4 mmHg
      • Density
        435.95
        kg/m³
         27.2154 lb/ft³

      Triple Point

      • Temperature
        - 218.79
        °C
         - 361.822 °F 54.36 K
      • Pressure
        1.5E-3
        bar
         150 pa 2.1756E-2 lbf/in2 1.4804E-3 Atm 0.15 Kpa 1.1251 mmHg
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Melting point
        - 218.78
        °C
         - 361.804 °F 54.37 K
      • Latent heat of fusion (at melting point)
        13.876
        kJ/kg
         5.9696 Btu/lb 3.3164 kcal/kg
      • Solid density
        /
      Pressure 1.013 bar
      • Liquid density (at boiling point)
        1141.2
        kg/m³
         71.2426 lb/ft³
      • Boiling point
        - 182.96
        °C
         - 297.328 °F 90.19 K
      • Latent heat of vaporization (at boiling point)
        213.05
        kJ/kg
         91.6565 Btu/lb 50.9202 kcal/kg
      Pressure1.013barTemperature
      • Compressibility factor Z
        9.9903E-1
        9.9924E-1
        9.9935E-1
      • Cp/Cv ratio γ
        1.3991
        1.3977
        1.3967
      • Dynamic viscosity
        1.9143E-4
        Po
         19.143 µPa.s 1.9143E-5 PA.S 1.2864E-5 lb/ft/s
        1.9993E-4
        Po
         19.993 µPa.s 1.9993E-5 PA.S 1.3435E-5 lb/ft/s
        2.055E-4
        Po
         20.55 µPa.s 2.055E-5 PA.S 1.3809E-5 lb/ft/s
      • Gas density at boiling point
        4.466
        kg/m³
         2.788E-1 lb/ft³
        4.466
        kg/m³
         2.788E-1 lb/ft³
        4.466
        kg/m³
         2.788E-1 lb/ft³
      • Gas density
        1.4287
        kg/m³
         8.9191E-2 lb/ft³
        1.354
        kg/m³
         8.4527E-2 lb/ft³
        1.3085
        kg/m³
         8.1687E-2 lb/ft³
      • Heat capacity at constant pressure Cp
        9.1672E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.191E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 916.716 J/kg∙K 2.191E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        9.1822E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.1946E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 918.216 J/kg∙K 2.1946E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        9.1962E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         2.198E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 919.622 J/kg∙K 2.198E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Heat capacity at constant volume Cv
        6.5521E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.566E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 655.208 J/kg∙K 1.566E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        6.5702E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.5703E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 657.021 J/kg∙K 1.5703E-1 kcal/kg∙K
        6.5846E-1
        kJ/(kg.K)
         1.5738E-1 BTU/lb∙°F 658.458 J/kg∙K 1.5738E-1 kcal/kg∙K
      • Liquid (at boiling point)/gas equivalent
        798.77
        mol/mol
        843.57
        mol/mol
        872.14
        mol/mol
      • Solubility in water
        /
        2.756E-5
        mol/mol
        2.293E-5
        mol/mol
      • Specific gravity
        1.11
        1.11
        1.11
      • Specific volume
        0.7
        m³/kg
         11.2129 ft³/lb
        7.385E-1
        m³/kg
         11.8296 ft³/lb
        7.643E-1
        m³/kg
         12.2429 ft³/lb
      • Thermal conductivity
        24.35
        mW/m∙K
         1.4079E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.0951E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 5.8198E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.435E-2 W/(m∙K)
        25.55
        mW/m∙K
         1.4772E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.1984E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 6.1066E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.555E-2 W/(m∙K)
        26.34
        mW/m∙K
         1.5229E-2 Btu/ft/h/°F 2.2664E-1 cal/hour∙cm∙°C 6.2954E-5 cal/s∙cm∙°C 2.634E-2 W/(m∙K)
      • Vapor pressure
        /
        /
        /
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      O2
      Oxygen

      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

      in standard conditions (1,013 bar, 15°C)

      m3(Volume)
      kg(Mass)
      Retour
      O2
      Oxygen

      Applications

      Examples of uses of this molecule in Industry and Healthcare

      Aeronautics

      Oxygen is used for oxygen masks, in aeronautics for civil and military planes.

      Aeronautics

      Automotive

      Oxygen is used for laser cutting and oxycutting.

      Automotive

      Chemicals

      Oxygen improves yield of a large number of petrochemical processes: chemical oxidation reactions such as the production of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, etc ; air-based processes debottlenecking; synthesis gas (dihydrogen/carbon monoxide) production.

      Chemicals

      Electronic components

      Oxygen is used to oxidize materials such as silicon to silicon dioxide. Oxygen is used to ash photoresists. It allows to achieve Chemical Vapor Deposition of oxides (CVD).

      Electronic components

      Waste & Water management

      Oxygen enhances waste water treatment (sludges, odors, energy, etc.). It also improves waste treatment, decreasing the amount of incineration emissions. It is also used in ozone production for oxidations or cleaning.

      Waste & Water management

      Food

      Oxygen is used to oxygenate fish-breeding tanks. It maintains colour of fresh red meat products with Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). Oxygen prevents anaerobic conditions of fresh fish and seafood products with Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP).

      Food

      Glass

      Oxygen limits nitrogen oxides emission through oxycombustion processes.

      Glass

      Hospital care

      Drug: oxygen is used to correct hypoxic (inadequate tissue oxygenation) related diseases.

      Hospital care

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Oxygen is used in calibration gas mixtures for petrochemical industry, environmental emission monitoring, industrial hygiene monitors and trace impurity analyzers. It is also used to measure calorimetric properties of hydrocarbons or coal and of oxidation reactions.

      Laboratories & Research Centers

      Metal

      Oxygen is used at blast furnace, basic oxygen furnace, electric arc furnace in iron and steel making. It is also used in smelters and converters in the non-ferrous industry.

      Metal

      Metal fabrication

      Oxygen improves iron, steel and non-ferrous metals production processes : decarburization of hot metals, enrichment of blast furnace air, primary production, secondary melting, etc. It is also used for laser cutting and oxycutting.

      Metal fabrication

      Oil & Gas

      Oxygen enriches regeneration air of Fluid Cracking Catalytic units (FCC) and Sulfur Removal Unit (SRU) in refinery.

      Oil & Gas

      Other

      Oxygen participates in bleaching operations to obtain a more environmentally friendly process, essentially during the delignifying step.

      Space

      Liquid oxygen is used as propellant for rockets launch.

      Space

      Pharma & Biotech

      Oxygen participates to chemical synthesis. It is used to enrich air during fermentation, as well as to treat wastewater. Oxygen is also used to flame seal glass ampuls for finished products.

      Pharma & Biotech
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      O2
      Oxygen

      Safety & Compatibility

      Information to safely use this molecule

      • Major hazards
      • Material compatibility
      Safety
      • GHS04
        Gas under pressure
      • GHS03
        Oxidising

      Odor

      none

      Metals

      • Aluminium
        Satisfactory
      • Brass
        Satisfactory
      • Monel
        Satisfactory
      • Copper
        Satisfactory
      • Ferritic Steel
        Satisfactory
        possible corrosion if water
      • Stainless steel
        Satisfactory
      • Zinc
        Satisfactory
      • Titanium
        No data

      Plastics

      • Polytetrafluoroethylene
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)
      • Polychlorotrifluoroethylene
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)
      • Polyvinylidene fluoride
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)
      • Polyvinyl chloride
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)
      • Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene
        No data
      • Polycarbonate
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions
      • Polyamide
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions
      • Polypropylene
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions

      Elastomers

      • Buthyl (isobutene- isoprene) rubber
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions
      • Nitrile rubber NBR
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions
      • Chloroprene
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)
      • Silicone
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions
      • Perfluoroelastomers
        Acceptable
        depends on condition of use
      • Fluoroelastomers
        Acceptable
        depends on condition of use
      • Neoprene
        Acceptable
        depends on condition of use
      • Polyurethane
        Satisfactory
      • Ethylene-Propylene
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions

      Lubricants

      • Hydrocarbon based lubricant
        Not recommended
        risk of explosion and fire
      • Fluorocarbon based lubricant
        Acceptable
        possible ignition under certain conditions and risk of release of toxic vapor in extreme conditions (elevated temperature)

      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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      O2
      Oxygen

      Learn More

      General information

      More information

      Oxygen was discovered in 1774 by Joseph Priestley. In 1777, Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier renamed "vital air" into "oxygene", from the Greek "-ὀξύς" (oxys), "acid" and "-γενής" (-genes), "producer", literally "begetter". It is the most abundant element on the earth’s surface. For example, oxygen makes up (by weight) 46 % of the Earth's crust (oxides, silicates, etc.), 89 % of the Earth's water and 62 % of the human body (in the form of molecules). In its most well-known form, it constitutes 21 % of the atmosphere. It is a tasteless, odorless and colorless gas, essential to life.

      O2

      Oxygen