Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5), What’s the difference?

Isopentane (IC5)

  • Description


Isopentane (IC5) is a volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon (CH3)2CHC2H5 and one of three isomers of pentane. Pentanes are components of some fuels, such as gasoline, and are also used as specialty solvents in the laboratory. Hydrocarbons are a diverse group of organic compounds that are made up of primarily carbon and hydrogen atoms. Hydrocarbons are derived from petroleum, coal tar and natural gas, as well as from plants and animals.

Iso-Pentane (IC-5) is used in the Polyethylene reaction and catalyst for the Gas Phase process in order to increase the production of the PE. Isopentane (iC5) It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel. Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane (iC5) requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics.

  • Boiling point: 81.86°F (27.70°C)
  • Density: 0.62 g/cm³
  • Chemical formula: C5H12
  • Average Molar mass: 72.15 g/mol
  • Classification: Alkane


Why Use Pentane, a Hydrocarbon?

Polyisocyanurate foams were traditionally produced using CFC-11 (a chloro-fluorocarbon) as the blowing agent.When evidence became irrefutable that CFCs destroyed stratospheric ozone, most of the world adopted the ground-breaking Montreal Protocol, which mandated the phaseout of CFCs for non-essential uses by 1996.

Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5)- What’s the difference?

Isopentane Versus n-Pentane as a Noun. Isopentane differs from n-Pentane (as nouns) because Isopentane means “ an aliphatic hydrocarbon with the chemical structure CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃)₂; isomeric with pentane and neopentane,” while n-Pentane is “ the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CH₃(CH₂)₃CH₃).”

ISOPENTANE

It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel.

Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics compared to analogues. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the gas formed during Isopentane foaming is lower than when using pure water foaming and, consequently, the panel filled with polyurethane foam on Isopentane provides better thermal insulation. The use of Isopentane as a foaming agent makes working at a lower density possible. The filling density of foam on Isopentane is 42 kg / m3 against 45-50 kg / m3 in the case of water foaming.

This means that holding the dimensions fixed the sandwich panel with the pentane-foamed polyurethane filling is lighter in comparison with the one with a CO2 – foamed polyurethane filling. In the end, it reduces the weight of the entire mobile building envelope as a whole and the load on its elements, making it more reliable and economical to use. Fine uniform porosity of the foam makes it possible to obtain maximum thermal insulation characteristics.

Hydrocarbon foaming allows to achieve the best characteristics of polyurethane foam, and, consequently, to improve the characteristics of sandwich panels, as well as manufactured from them mobile enclosing structures. It provides:

  •     better energy saving due to high thermal insulation characteristics;
  •     high durability thanks to better adhesion to metal sheets of the panel;
  •     efficiency and an advanced technological design due to it being lighter;
  •     durability of the structure.

You can place an order for Isopentane (iC5) with Junyuan Petroleum Group, send email to: info@junyuanpetroleumgroup.com.