n-Hexane: Overview
Description
n-Hexane is a chemical extracted, and further quantities synthesised, from crude oil. It is used in laboratories, primarily when it is mixed with similar chemicals to produce solvents. Common names for these solvents are commercial hexane, mixed hexanes, petroleum ether, and petroleum naphtha. The major use for solvents containing n-hexane is to extract vegetable oils from crops such as soybeans, flax, peanuts, and safflower seed. They are also used as cleaning agents in the textile, furniture, shoemaking, and printing industries, particularly rotogravure printing. N-hexane is also an ingredient of special glues that are used in the roofing, shoe, and leather industries. n-Hexane is used in binding books, working leather, shaping pills and tablets, canning, manufacturing tires, and making baseballs.
Substance details
Substance name: n-Hexane
CASR number: 110-54-3
Molecular formula: C6H14
Synonyms: n-hexane; normal hexane; hexyl hydride; skellysolve B; dipropyl; gettysolve-b; hex
Physical properties
Colourless liquid with a mild petrol-like odour detectable at 65 to 248 ppm. It evaporates very easily into the air. It is miscible with alcohol, chloroform, and ether.
Melting Point: -95°C
Boiling Point: 68.7°C
Specific Gravity: 0.659
Vapour Density: 2.97
1 ppm = 3.52 mg/m3
Slightly soluble 0.000947 g/100 mL
Chemical properties
Hexane is highly flammable, and its vapours can be explosive. Heat, sparks, and flames may ignite it. Flammable vapour may spread away from a spill. n-Hexane can react vigorously with oxidising materials such as liquid chlorine, concentrated oxygen, and sodium and calcium hypochlorite. It will attack some forms of plastics, rubber, and coatings. It is incompatible with strong oxidisers.
Further information
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) holds data for all sources of n-hexane emissions in Australia.
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