Ethylene glycol is produced when a reaction takes place between the ethylene oxide and water. Dihydrogen monoxide. Ethylene glycol is highly poisonous; animals or humans that drink the solution become very ill and may die. Safety is key when handling Ethylene Glycol. 11b – 13 Aston Fields Road, Whitehouse Industrial Estate, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 3DL. Here, it is able to help ‘freeze down’ a biological sample in order to preserve it for longer. 3. Production. As a solvent (dissolves another substance) for paint and plastic industries. Updates? It is also used as a reagent in making polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins, and synthetic waxes. For this reason, non-toxic antifreeze solutions were introduced. Ethylene glycol is toxic and, if ingested, can cause fatal poisoning. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. The US and European food authorities have declared it … Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This prevents the formation of ice crystals and in turn lowers the freezing point of water. TCCs Ethylene Glycols major end uses are as an antifreeze, which accounts for more than 50% of ethylene glycols commercial use, and as raw material in the produ… Ethylene or propylene glycol, to depress the freeze point of the fluid. Heard of it? Its chemical formula is C 2 H 4 (OH) 2. Wood Treatments:EG has been used to prevent and treat rot or fungi in wood. The... read more, You might think that using deionised water, or indeed any form of purified water in your steam iron would... read more, As you might expect, purified water is exactly what it says - water that has been purified to varying... read more, The Chemistry and Properties of Nitric Acid To understand what nitric acid is and how it is commercially used, it’s... read more, Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, develops oil and gas wells by injecting water, sand, and chemicals under high... read more, A good chemistry degree can provide you with a great future and a wide range of career choices, from... read more, Absolute Ethanol Acetic Acid (CH3COOH) Acetone Ammonia Solutions (NH3) Antifreeze Battery Acid Brick Acid Buffer Solutions Caustic Soda Citric Acid (C6H8O7), Deionized Water Demineralised Water Denatured Alcohol (IMS) Dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) Distilled Water EP Water Ethylene Glycol Formaldehyde (CH2O) Glycerol/Glycerine/Glycerin Hydrochloric Acid (HCL), Isopropyl Alcohol Methylated Spirits Methylene Chloride Monopropylene Glycol Nitric Acid (HNO3) Phosphoric Acid (H3PO4) Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) Potassium Permanganate Propylene Glycol, Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO) Sodium Thiosulphate Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4) Ultrapure Water Water (Purified) Xylene ...VIEW ALL PRODUCTS. It can also be used in a variety of other products such as floor and wall adhesives, brake fluid, automotive wax/polish and floor wax/polish, in caulks and grout, concrete sealers and shoe polish. Ethylene glycol (EG) is colourless liquid with a sweet taste. While triethylene glycol (TEG) is commonly used to dehydrate natural gas, ethylene glycol is used in the refrigeration units to decrease hydrate temperature. Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are two . It is also extensively used as a process agent in polymerproduction. This is why, during winter, antifreeze prevents your car from freezing over. This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. Some examples of workers at risk of being exposed to ethylene glycol include the following: Factory workers involved in the manufacture of polyester Ethylene glycol definition is - a thick liquid diol C2H6O2 used especially as an antifreeze and in making polyester fibers. Much of this ethylene glycol is used as antifreeze in automobile radiators. Ethylene glycol has a sweet taste and is often accidentally or intentionally ingested. How to use Ethylene Glycol Liquid. It is contained in everything from grocery bags and plastic bottles to space blankets and gas cylinders. When a reaction takes place between ethylene oxide with water, the ethylene glycol oligomers or the ethylene glycol, it gives rise to polyethylene glycol. End your cradle-to-grave liabilities by working with our EPA licensed facility — once our process changes the product, your liability ends. Catalyst: Both acidic and basic catalysts are used for the production of ethylene glycol. This is important because, when produced from an underground reservoir, natural gas is completely saturated with water vapour. Based on these data it is be reasonable to conclude that the toxicity and treatment of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol toxicity are similar, at least in rats (a reasonably good animal model). Last week, we took a look at the properties behind this highly toxic compound. In the 1993 ranking of chemicals according to the quantity produced in the United States, ethylene glycol ranked 30th, with 5.23 billion lb (2.37 × 10 9 kg). Ethylene Structure. Let us have a look at the ethene structure and formula. The most common applications of ethylene glycol include its use as raw material for the production of polyester fibers and as an automotive antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is produced from ethylene, via the intermediate ethylene oxide Ethylene oxide reacts with water to produce ethylene glycol according to the chemical equation C 2 H 4 O + H 2 O → HOCH 2 CH 2 OH. Ethylene glycol is … Its ability to lower the freezing point of water is also useful in vitrification mixtures for sample preservation. Ink:The presence of EG helps to increa… “Ethylene glycol (IUPAC name: ethane-1,2-diol) is an organic compound with the formula (CH 2 OH) 2. Ethylene is abundantly used in the chemical industry, and the polyethene is extremely produced using ethylene. Ethylene glycol is also used in: 1. To manufacture synthetic fibers, like Dacron 5. Using a hierarchy of controls protects employees from exposure and injury due to the chemical. Consult your pharmacist or physician. Ethylene glycol solutions are normally preferred over Propylene Glycol because of their more desirable physical properties particularly at lower temperature. To help make batteries 4. This chemical also named as Ethane-1,2-diol or Monoethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is a clear, sweet, slightly viscous liquid that boils at 198 °C (388.4 °F). Ethylene glycol helps increase ink viscosity and makes it less likely to evaporate. A balanced inhibitor system, to protect common metals of construction. In addition to its use in antifreeze, ethylene glycol is used as an ingredient in hydraulic fluids, printing inks, and paint solvents. MEG is primarily used as raw material in different forms for carrying out a number of industrial processes including: Coolant & Heat Transfer Agent– Majorly ethylene glycol acts as a medium for convective heat transfer like in automobiles & liquid cooled computers. 2. Ethylene glycol also has a major use in the manufacture of polymers, namely polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It is also used as a reagent in making polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins… Alongside polyethylene (PE), PET is one of the most common plastics. Do the right thing for the environment by working with a GREEN Company. It is able to interfere with the hydrogen bonds in water, making it difficult for the water molecules to bind. Because this material is cheaply available, it finds many niche applications. Learn More about MAXSAFE'S GREEN Initiatives; Work with an EPA licensed facility . Author of. This can cause many problems if not removed, and so it is crucial to employ glycol dehydration. 1,294 A considerable portion of the glycol is used in antifreeze mixtures. The most common uses of ethylene glycol are as a coolant, heat transfer, and anti-freeze agent, as well as a component in many household products such as paints, cosmetics, and detergents. . While these are the main three uses of ethylene glycol, this chemical has a variety of applications that range across many industries. Ethylene glycol is a chemical compound that has an alcohol with two -OH groups. While these are the main three uses of ethylene glycol, this chemical has a variety of applications that range across many industries. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Plastics like PET and PE are commonly used in containers that store chemicals. A glycol is an alcohol with two hydroxyl groups on adjacent carbon atoms (a 1,2-diol). Its sweet taste is dangerous here as it causes pets or infants to accidentally ingest it. Britannica Kids Holiday Bundle! Propylene glycol is typically used in food processing facilities and applications where there is potential for contamination of potable water or food as it is non-toxic to humans and animals. Ethylene glycol is highly poisonous; animals or humans that drink the solution become very ill and may die. If you are in any doubt about health and safety issues please consult the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). It is used as an antifreeze, in making polyester plastics, and for some manufacturing. In this process, many different glycols are used. It is mainly used for two purposes, as a raw material in the manufacture of polyester fibers and for antifreeze formulations. The blog on chemicals.co.uk and everything published on it is provided as an information resource only. Ethylene glycol solutions are normally considered as pumpable down to freezing points … Ethanol... read more, Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is made up of four carbon atoms, eight hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol differ when considering physical, environmental, and heat transfer characteristics. Place your order online today, or contact a member of our expert team for more information. We are based in Cheshire, England and have been established since 1977. NOW 50% OFF! Its most common use is as an automotive antifreeze. It is an odorless, colorless, sweet-tasting, viscous liquid. This is because their diverse properties make them compatible with a range of acids and bases. Finally, ethylene glycol, which is widely used as an antifreeze agent in automobiles, causes renal damage when it is biotransformed to oxalic acid, which crystallizes in the renal tubule (Table 2).…, …freezing temperature decreases appreciably when ethylene glycol is mixed with water.…. The common name ethylene glycol literally means “the glycol derived from ethylene.”. Ethylene glycol helps keep your car’s engine from freezing in the winter and acts as a coolant to reduce overheating in the summer. Water is nature’s heat transfer fluid, a liquid used since the dawn of time to heat and cool. What is ethylene glycol used for? Glycol comes in two varieties: ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. Ethylene glycol helps avoid the freezing of your car’s engine in winter, and serves as a coolant to minimize overheating in summer. We do not recommend using any chemical without first consulting the Material Safety Data Sheet which can be obtained from the manufacturer and following the safety advice and precautions on the product label. Once this reaction has been catalysed, ethylene glycol polymerises and a variety of PEG products are created. The end result is a molten mass of PET. Ethylene glycol is used in many industries. The compound ethylene glycol is a clear, colorless, viscous liquid principally used as a component in automotive antifreeze or coolant products and also has manufacturing and industrial applications. DESCRIPTION: Ethylene glycol is a useful industrial compound found in many consumer products, including automotive antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, some stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints, plastics, films, and cosmetics; it also is used as a pharmaceutical vehicle. Or humans that drink the solution become very ill and may die when a reaction takes place between the oxide... 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