Product Description
Ethylene Oxide (EO), also known as oxirane, is one of the simplest cyclic ethers and an important building block in the chemical industry. At room temperature, it is a colorless, highly flammable gas. Below its boiling point of approximately 10.7°C, it can exist as a colorless, mobile liquid with a characteristic ether-like odor.
Ethylene oxide is highly reactive and completely miscible with water and many common organic solvents, including ethanol and other alcohols. Its strained three-membered ring readily undergoes ring-opening reactions with a wide range of chemical compounds, making EO a versatile intermediate for the manufacture of numerous downstream chemicals.
Ethylene oxide is also highly flammable and toxic and requires strict control during storage, transportation, and handling. Its vapor can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract, and exposure to high concentrations can cause serious health effects. EO can form explosive mixtures with air over a broad concentration range. Appropriate engineering controls, monitoring systems, personal protective equipment, and established industrial safety procedures are therefore essential when handling this substance.
Product Parameters
| English Name | ETHYLENE OXIDE |
| English Synonyms | ETHYLENE OXIDE, 99.5+%6;ETHYLENE OXIDE CYLINDER WITH 2 L (NET ~1.5 KG); ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1X1ML, MEOH, 50000UG/ML;ETHYLENE OXIDE 1X1ML, CH2CL2, 2000UG/ML; ETHYLENE OXIDE, CYLINDER WITH 27 L (NET ~20 KG); ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1X1ML, CH2CL2, 50000UG/M L; ETHYLENE OXIDE, PRESSURE TIN WITH 2 50 ML (NET ~225 G);etylenutlenek(polish) |
| CAS Number | 75-21-8 |
| Molecular Formula | C2H40 |
| Molecular Weight | 44.05 |
| EINECS Number | 200-849-9 |
| Melting Point | -111 °C(lit.) |
| Boiling Point | 10.7 °C(lit.) |
| Density | 0.882 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.) |
| Vapor Pressure | 1095 mmHg at 20°C |
| Refractive Index | n20/D 1.3597(lit.) |
| Flash Point | <-17.7℃ |
| Storage Conditions | 2-8℃ |
| Form | Colorless gas |
| Odor (Odor) | Detectable sweet taste from 257 to 690 ppm |
| Merck | 3802 |
| BRN | 102378 |
| Henry's Law | 5.8x10-2 mol/(m3Pa) at 25C, Conway et al. (1983) |
| Constant | TLV-TWA 1.8 mg/m3 (1 ppm) (ACGIH), 0.18 mg/m3 (0.1 ppm), 5 ppm/10 min (NIOSH). |
| Exposure Limits | 14.0 (-4℃) |
| Dielectric Constant | agriculture |
| InChI | 1S/C2H4O/c1-2-3-1/h1-2H2 |
| InChIKey | IAYPIBMASNFSPL-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| SMILES | C1CO1 |
| LogP | -0.3 |
Application Scenarios
Ethylene oxide (EO) is a highly reactive chemical with well-established sterilization and fumigation properties. Its gaseous form can penetrate a wide range of materials and, under controlled conditions, can be used for the sterilization of heat- and moisture-sensitive medical devices and other equipment. Unlike some liquid sterilizing agents, ethylene oxide can be removed from treated materials through appropriate aeration procedures.
Historically, ethylene oxide has been used in controlled sterilization systems, including formulations or mixtures designed to manage flammability and process characteristics. Its applications include the sterilization of medical devices, precision instruments, laboratory equipment, and other temperature-sensitive materials. Due to its hazardous properties, these applications require specialized equipment, strict process controls, exposure monitoring, and validated sterilization procedures.
Fumigation and Preservation Applications
Ethylene oxide has also been used as a fumigant for certain agricultural commodities and stored products because of its ability to control microorganisms and other biological contaminants.
However, the use of ethylene oxide for food and agricultural fumigation is highly regulated and varies significantly by country and application. Any use must comply with applicable regulations concerning permitted commodities, treatment conditions, residual levels, worker exposure, and post-treatment aeration.
Chemical Intermediate and Acid-Scavenging Applications
Because of its highly reactive epoxide ring, ethylene oxide readily reacts with a variety of chemical compounds, including acids. This reactivity allows EO to function as a chemical intermediate and reactive processing component in certain industrial manufacturing processes.
For example, controlled addition of ethylene oxide can be used in selected polymer and rubber processing applications to modify reaction conditions or neutralize acidic species generated during processing. The specific process chemistry and operating conditions depend on the formulation and manufacturing route.
High-Energy Chemical Applications
Ethylene oxide has a high energy content and can undergo rapid decomposition under certain conditions. Historically, its energetic properties have attracted interest in specialized propulsion and energetic-material applications.
Because EO is highly flammable, toxic, and capable of forming explosive mixtures with air, such applications require specialized engineering controls and are subject to stringent safety and regulatory requirements. It is not considered a general-purpose fuel component.
An Important Ethylene Derivative
Direct use of ethylene oxide represents only a portion of its overall industrial importance. Its primary value lies in its role as a versatile chemical intermediate and building block for a large number of downstream products.
Major EO derivatives include:
· Ethylene glycol
· Nonionic surfactants
· Ethanolamines
· Glycol ethers
· Polyethylene glycols
· Specialty ethoxylated chemicals
· Polyester and polymer intermediates
Among ethylene derivatives, ethylene oxide is one of the most important platform chemicals because its highly reactive epoxide ring enables a wide range of downstream chemical transformations.
Toxicity and Safe Handling
Ethylene oxide is a highly hazardous substance and must be handled under strict industrial safety controls. Exposure can occur through inhalation or contact, and EO vapor can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Acute exposure at sufficiently high concentrations can cause serious toxic effects.
Because of its carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive, and acute toxicity hazards, occupational exposure must be carefully controlled in accordance with applicable regulations and the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
Safe handling of ethylene oxide requires appropriate closed-process equipment, ventilation, leak detection, gas monitoring, explosion protection, personal protective equipment, and emergency response procedures.
Ethylene oxide can also react with biological molecules in the body, which contributes to its toxic effects. For this reason, exposure limits and handling requirements should always be based on current regulatory standards and the applicable SDS rather than on a single generalized toxicity comparison.
Overall, the importance of ethylene oxide lies primarily in its role as a highly versatile chemical intermediate. Its combination of high reactivity and broad downstream chemistry makes it an essential building block for the production of glycols, surfactants, ethanolamines, glycol ethers, and numerous other chemical products.
