Products Description of Ethylene
Ethylene is the simplest member of the olefin family, composed of two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms joined by a carbon–carbon double bond, with the molecular formula CH₂=CH₂. It is a fundamental basic chemical feedstock, widely used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, and synthetic plastics—including polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—as well as synthetic ethanol.
Beyond these uses, ethylene serves as a key intermediate in the production of vinyl chloride, styrene, ethylene oxide, acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethanol, and explosives. In the natural world, it is produced as a metabolic product in plants, where it functions as a growth regulator—slowing plant development, inducing leaf drop, and hastening the ripening of fruits.
Under ambient conditions, ethylene is a colorless, flammable gas with a melting point of -169°C and a boiling point of -103.7°C. It is nearly insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in ethanol, and highly soluble in ether and acetone.
Chemical Properties
| Melting point | -169 °C(lit.) |
| Boiling point | -104 °C(lit.) |
| Density | 0.00126 |
| Vapor density | 0.97 (vs air) |
| Vapor pressure | 35.04 atm (20 °C) |
| Refractive index | 1.363 |
| Flash point | -100°C |
| State | colorless gas |
| Explosive limits | 36% |
| Water solubility | 90.91g/L(25 °C) |
| Specific heat capacity | Cp(gas): 1.53 J/(g-K), at 25℃ |
| Freezing point | -169.4°℃ |
| Merck | 133,825 |
| BRN | 1730731 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 5.9x10-5 mol/(m3Pa) at 25°C, Burkholder et al. (2019) |
| Stability | Stable. Highly flammable – note the wide explosion limits. Incompatible with strong oxidizers. Easily forms explosive mixtures with air. |
| InChI | 1S/C2H4/c1-2/h1-2H2 |
| InChIKey | VGGSQFUCUMXWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| SMILES | C=C |
Product Application of Ethylene
Ethylene serves as a fundamental raw material in the organic chemical industry, with its primary use being the production of polyethylene, ethylene-propylene rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and various other petrochemical derivatives. It ranks among the most significant feedstocks within the petrochemical sector.
In the realm of synthetic materials, ethylene finds extensive application in the manufacture of polyethylene, vinyl chloride, PVC, ethylbenzene, styrene, polystyrene, and ethylene-propylene rubber. It also plays an indispensable role in organic synthesis, serving as a starting material for the production of ethanol, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, propionaldehyde, propionic acid and its derivatives, along with numerous other essential organic chemical intermediates.
