1. Basic chemical properties

Chinese name: Hexane (usually refers to n-hexane and isomer mixture)

English name: Hexanes / n-Hexane

CAS number: 73513-42-5

n-Hexane (n-Hexane): [110-54-3]

Mixed hexanes: a combination of multiple isomers (such as 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, etc.)

Molecular formula: C₆H₁₄

Molecular weight: 86.18

Physical properties:

Appearance: colorless and transparent liquid with a slight smell of gasoline

Density: 0.659 g/cm³ (20℃)

Boiling point: n-hexane: 69℃; mixed hexane: 60-70℃

Flash point: -22℃ (highly flammable, UN 1208)

Solubility: miscible with alcohol and ether, insoluble in water

2. Main application areas

(1) Industrial solvents

Oil extraction: Extraction of vegetable oils such as soybeans and peanuts to replace traditional light gasoline solvents.

Rubber and plastics: Used as mold release agents for rubber products and plastic surface cleaning.

Printing and coatings: Diluting inks and cleaning printing equipment.

(2) Chemical synthesis

Polymerization reaction: Used as a solvent for propylene polymerization to produce high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

Pharmaceutical intermediates: Solvents for the synthesis of cephalosporin antibiotics.

(3) Laboratory and analysis

Chromatographic analysis: Used as a mobile phase component for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Spectroscopically pure reagents: Used for sample preparation for UV-visible spectroscopy analysis.

3. Production process and quality standards

(1) Production method

Petroleum distillation: separation and purification from naphtha fraction (boiling range 60-70℃).

Isomerization reaction: adjust the branched structure through catalyst to produce different isomers.

(2) Quality grade

Industrial grade: purity ≥95%, water ≤0.05% (used for solvents and cleaning agents).

Chromatographic grade: purity ≥99.9% (no impurity peaks detected by GC), in line with HPLC/GC standards.

Food grade: certified by FDA 21 CFR 172.884, residual solvents meet the limit requirements.

4. Safety and storage regulations

Health risks:

Neurotoxicity: Long-term exposure to n-hexane can cause peripheral neuropathy (work environment concentration needs to be monitored).

Flammable and explosive: Vapor forms an explosive mixture with air (explosion limit 1.2%-7.7%).

Protective measures:

Wear anti-static equipment, chemical protective gloves and full-face mask during operation;

Store in a cool and ventilated place, use explosion-proof electrical appliances.

Transportation requirements:

Hazardous chemical transportation category 3, UN 1208, packaging category II.

5. Industry trends and alternatives

Environmental transformation: Promote low-toxic isomers (such as 2-methylpentane) to replace n-hexane to reduce occupational health risks.

Bio-based solvents: Develop bio-fermentation methods to produce hexane (using sugars as raw materials) to reduce carbon emissions.

Recycling technology: Distill and recover hexane from waste solvents for recycling.