Pentane Blends/Blowing Agents
Pentane is the most common expansion agent in EPS production. Low concentration of pentane can be trapped during production, inside the closed cells of EPS. By the end of the production cycle, EPS products may still contain 1-2% of Pentane by weight (Dongying Liangxin Petrochemical Technology Development Limited Company, a subsidiary of Junyuan Petroleum Group) . At this concentration, pentane can build up in the air around EPS at concentrations way above the flammability point or exceed the occupational exposure limit for pentane.
| S/N |
Item |
Specifications |
| 1 |
Appearance |
Colorless transparent liquid, no turbidity |
| 2 |
Mechanical Impurities |
Not Found |
| 3 |
Sulfur（ug/ml） |
＜5 |
| 4 |
Blend of n-Pentane/Isopentane（wt%） |
70:30，40:60, 50:50, 80:20, 85:15 |
|
Blend of Cyclopentane/Isopentane（wt%） |
70:30 |
| 5 |
n-Pentane, Isopentane（wt%） |
≥99 |
|
Cyclopentane, Isopentane (wt%) |
≥99 |
| 6 |
Content Difference（wt%） |
±2 |
| 7 |
C5﹣（wt%） |
≤1 |
| 8 |
C6+（wt%） |
≤0.5 |
| 9 |
Total Olefins（wt%） |
≤0.1 |
Blend of n-Pentane/Isopentane（wt%） 70:30，40:60, 50:50, 80:20, 85:15 Blend of Cyclopentane/Isopentane（wt%） 70:30
Physical and chemical properties of pentane
Pentane isomers that are used as expanding agents for EPS
| Isomer |
Formula |
Boiling point |
| n-Pentane |
CH3 – ( CH2 )3 – CH3 |
36.1 °C |
| Isopentane |
CH3 – CH( CH3 ) – CH2 – CH3 |
28.0 °C |
| Cyclopentane |
CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2 |
49.0 °C |
A company has been investigating a range of new blowing agents, previously identified as the AFA series (1). Designed for most PUR applications including appliances, pour-in-place (PiP), spray, and polyisocyanurate (PIR) bunstock/boardstock, these molecules possess very low global warming potential and negligible ozone depletion.
Among them, Forane® FBA 1233zd, which is a liquid under ambient conditions, is a potential candidate for replacement of HFCs 245fa and 365mfc and pentanes. Table below summarizes the properties of Forane® FBA 1233zd and references other blowing agents currently in use such as cyclopentane (cC5), isopentane (iC5), normal pentane (nC5), HFC 245fa, HFC 365mfc and HCFC 141b.
Pentane as expanding agent for EPS
Ever since EPS was developed, predominantly, almost exclusively, pentane has been used as its expanding agent (with approx. 6 %, based on EPS weight). Mainly n-pentane was, and still is, used. Various EPS raw material manufacturers add some Iso-pentane and recently some also add Cyclopentane. All these pentane isomers cause the same reactions in air (Ozone formation) and therefore are treated all as VOCs by environmental authorities.
Applications:
- EPS Blowing Agent
- Electronic Cleaning
- Chemical Solvent
- Aerosol Propellant
- Others
