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Solvent Explosive Limits
Explosive Limits and Flammable limits are often used interchangeably to specify the lower and upper concentration ranges (in percent by volume) of a
substance vapor in air that a flame will propagate. Concentrations below the lower explosive limit will not allow a flame to propagate and above the upper
explosive limits a flame will not propagate. (i.e. Concentrations of the substances vapor below the lower limit are to lean to burn while those
concentrations above the upper limit are to rich to burn.)
CHEMICAL NAME
EXPLOSIVE LIMITS
Lower ← % → Upper
Solubility H2O
Liquid Density
Water = 1
Vapor Density
Air = 1
Acetaldehyde or Ethanal
4.0
60
Yes
0.785
1.5
Acetic Acid or Ethanoic Acid
4.0
19.9
Yes
1.049
2
Acetic Anhydride
2.7
10.3
Yes
1.08
3.5
Acetone or 2-Propanone
2.5
12.8
Yes
0.791
2
Acetonitrile or Methyl Cyanide
3.0
16.0
Yes
0.786
1.4
Acrolein or 2-Propenal
2.8
31
Yes
0.839
1.9
Allylamine
2.2
22
Yes
0.761
2
Amyl Acetate
1.1
7.5
Slight
0.876
4.5
Benzene
1.2
7.8
No
0.874
2.8
Butyl Alcohol or 1-Butanol
1.4
11.2
Yes
0.81
2.6
2-Butanol
1.7
9.8
Slight
0.808
2.6
Butyl Chloride or 1-Chlorobutane
1.8
10.1
No
0.886
3.2
Carbon Disulfide
1.3
50
No
1.266
2.6
Cyclohexane
1.3
8
No
0.799
2.9
Cyclohexanone
1.1
9.4
No
0.947
3.4
Denatured Ethanol
0.8
1.6
Yes
0.789
1.6
CD-5, CD-5A, CD-10, SD-1, SD-2B, SD-3A, SD-13A, SD-17,
SD-23A, SD-30, SD-39B, SD-39C, SD-40M
Dibutyl Ether or Butyl Ether
1.5
7.6
No
0.764
4.5
Cis-Dichloroethylene or Cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
3
15
No
1.284
3.4
Trans-Dichloroethylene or Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
6
13
No
1.257
3.4
Diethylamine
1.8
10.1
Yes
0.707
2.5
Diethyl Ether or Ethyl Ether
1.9
36
Slight
0.706
2.6
Diisopropyl ether
1.4
7.9
Slight
0.725
3.5
2,2-Dimethyl Butane or Neohexane
1.2
7.0
No
0.649
3.0
N,N-Dimethylformamide
2.2
15.2
No
0.944
2.5
2,3-Dimethyl Pentane
1.1
6.7
No
0.695
3.5
Dimethylsulfoxide or DMSO
2.6
42
Yes
1.10
2.7
p-Dioxane
2.0
22
Yes
1.034
3.0
Divinyl Ether or Vinyl Ether
1.7
27
No
Ethyl Acetate
2.0
11.5
Slight
0.902
3
Ethyl Alcohol or Ethanol in Water 96 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
0.789
1.6
95 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
80 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
70 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
60 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
50 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
40 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
30 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
20 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
10 %
0.8
1.6
Yes
5%
0.8
1.6
Yes
0.8
1.6
Yes
0.689
1.6
Ethylamine
2.4
Ethylbenzene
0.8
6.7
No
0.867
3.7
Ethyl Chloride
0.9
2.2
No
0.921
2.2
Ethylene Glycol
3.2
22
Yes
1.113
2.1
Ethylene Oxide
0.9
1.5
Yes
0.882
1.5
Formaldehyde
7.0
73
Yes
1.09
1
Formic Acid
18
57
Yes
1.22
1.6
Gasoline
1.4
7.6
No
0.71 - 0.77
4
Glycerol
3
19
Yes
1.25
3.1
1,4-Hexadiene
2.0
6.1
No
0.71
2.8
Hexane
1.1
7.5
No
0.672
3
Isoamyl Acetate
1.0
7.5
Slight
0.876
4.5
Isopentane or 2-Methylbutane
1.4
7.6
No
0.62
2.6
Isopropyl Alcohol or 2-Propanol
2
12
Yes
0.785
2.1
Kerosene
0.7
5
No
0.78 – 0.81
4.5
Methyl Alcohol or Methanol
6.7
36
Yes
0.791
1.1
Methyl Cyclohexane
1.2
6.7
No
0.77
3.4
Methyl Ethyl Ether
2
10.1
Yes
0.711
2.1
Methyl Ethyl Ketone or 2-Butanone
1.4
11.4
Yes
0.805
2.5
Naphtha
0.9
6
No
0.75 – 0.79
3
Nitromethane
7.3
???
Slight
1.127
2
Paraldehyde
1.3
???
Slight
0.994
4.5
Paraformaldehyde
7.0
73
Slight
0.88
1
Pentane
1.5
7.8
No
0.626
2.5
Petroleum Ether or Ligroine
1.1
5.9
No
0.64
2.5
Phenol
1.8
8.6
Yes
1.071
3.2
Propionaldehyde or Propanal
2.9
17
Slight
0.805
2
1-Propanol or Propyl Alcohol
2.2
13.7
Slight
0.804
2
Propylene Oxide
2.8
37
Yes
0.83
2
Pyridine
1.8
12.4
No
0.978
2.7
Tetrahydrofuran or THF
2
11.8
Yes
0.889
2.5
Toluene
1.1
7.1
No
0.865
3.2
Triethanolamine
1
10
Yes
1.124
5.1
Triethylamine
1.2
8.0
Yes
0.726
3.5
Triethylene Glycol
Turpentine
0.9
9.2
Yes
1.124
5.2
0.8
???
No
0.87
4.7
Vinyl Ethyl Ether
m-Xylene
1.7
28
No
0.753
2.5
1.1
7.0
No
0.868
3.7
o-Xylene
0.9
6.7
No
0.879
3.7
p-Xylene
1.1
7.0
No
0.861
3.7
LAST UPDATE
7/28/2014 9:59:24 AM