| CAS No.: | 74-84-0 |
|---|---|
| Formula: | C2h6 |
| EINECS: | 200-814-8 |
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Ethane is an organic chemical compound with chemical formula C2H6. At standard temperature and pressure, ethane is a colorless, odorless gas. Like many hydrocarbons, ethane is isolated on an industrial scale from natural gas and as a petrochemical byproduct of petroleum refining. Its chief use is as feedstock for ethylene production.
1.Physical properties
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ETHANE Chemical Properties
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MP
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−172 °C(lit.)
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BP
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−88 °C(lit.)
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Density
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0.362 g/mL at 20 °C(lit.)
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Vapor density
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1.05 (vs air)
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Vapor pressure
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37.95 atm ( 21.1 °C)
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Fp
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−211 °F
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Form
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gas
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Merck
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13,3758
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Stability:
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Stable. Highly flammable. Readily forms explosive mixtures with air. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents.
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CAS DataBase Reference
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74-84-0 (CAS DataBase Reference)
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2.Typical technical data
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Physical properties
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ETHANE
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Synonyms:
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Bimethyl;C2H6;Dimethyl;ethane,refrigeratedliquid;Ethyl hydride;ethylhydride;Methylmethane;R170
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CAS:
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74-84-0
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MF:
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C2H6
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MW:
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30.07
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EINECS:
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200-814-8
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Product Categories:
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refrigerants;Organics;Chemical Synthesis;Compressed and Liquefied Gases;Synthetic Reagents;Chemical Synthesis;Specialty Gases;Synthetic Reagents
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Mol File:
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74-84-0.mol
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3. Usage And Synthesis
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Chemical Properties
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colourless gas
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General Description
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A colorless odorless gas. ETHANE is easily ignited. The vapors are heavier than air. ETHANE can asphyxiate by the displacement of air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. Contact with the liquid may cause frostbite.
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Air & Water Reactions
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Highly flammable.
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Reactivity Profile
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Saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as ETHANE, may be incompatible with strong oxidizing agents like nitric acid. Charring of the hydrocarbon may occur followed by ignition of unreacted hydrocarbon and other nearby combustibles. In other settings, aliphatic saturated hydrocarbons are mostly unreactive. They are not affected by aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis, most oxidizing agents, and most reducing agents. Peroxidizable
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Health Hazard
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In high vapor concentrations, can act as simple asphyxiant. Liquid causes severe frostbite.
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Fire Hazard
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EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Will form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors from liquefied gas are initially heavier than air and spread along ground. CAUTION: Hydrogen (UN1049), Deuterium (UN1957), Hydrogen, refrigerated liquid (UN1966) and METHANE (UN1971) are lighter than air and will rise. Hydrogen and Deuterium fires are difficult to detect since they burn with an invisible flame. Use an alternate method of detection (thermal camera, broom handle, etc.) Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Cylinders exposed to fire may vent and release flammable gas through pressure relief devices. Containers may explode when heated. Ruptured cylinders may rocket.
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The chief use of ethane is the production of ethene (ethylene) by steam cracking.
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When diluted with steam and briefly heated to very high temperatures (900 °C or more), heavy hydrocarbons break down into lighter hydrocarbons, and saturated hydrocarbons become unsaturated. Ethane is favored for ethene production because the steam cracking of ethane is fairly selective for ethene, while the steam cracking of heavier hydrocarbons yields a product mixture poorer in ethene and richer in heavier alkenes (olefins), such as propene (propylene) and butadiene, and in aromatic hydrocarbons.
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Experimentally, ethane is under investigation as a feedstock for other commodity chemicals.
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Oxidative chlorination of ethane has long appeared to be a potentially more economical route to vinyl chloride than ethene chlorination. Many processes for producing this reaction have been patented, but poor selectivity for vinyl chloride and corrosive reaction conditions (specifically, a reaction mixture containing hydrochloric acid at temperatures greater than 500 °C) have discouraged the commercialization of most of them. Presently, INEOS operates a 1000 t/a (tonnes per annum) ethane-to-vinyl chloride pilot plant at Wilhelmshaven in Germany.
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Similarly, the Saudi Arabian firm SABIC has announced construction of a 30,000 tonnes per annum plant to produce acetic acid by ethane oxidation at Yanbu.
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The economic viability of this process may rely on the low cost of ethane near Saudi oil fields, and it may not be competitive with methanol carbonylation elsewhere in the world.
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Ethane can be used as a refrigerant in cryogenic refrigeration systems.
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On a much smaller scale, in scientific research, liquid ethane is used to vitrify water-rich samples for electron microscopy (cryo-electron microscopy). A thin film of water, quickly immersed in liquid ethane at −150 °C or colder, freezes too quickly for water to crystallize. With slower freezing methods, ice crystals can disrupt soft structures, damaging the samples.
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