Ethylene oxide CAS#75-21-8

Ethylene oxide, also known as oxirane, is the simplest cyclic ether. At room temperature, it is a colorless, flammable gas that condenses into a colorless, highly mobile liquid at temperatures below 10.7°C. It has an odor similar to diethyl ether and is miscible with water, ethanol, and diethyl ether.

As an important raw material in the fine chemical industry, ethylene oxide is used to produce a wide range of compounds, including ethylene glycol, non-ionic surfactants, ethanolamines, and glycol ethers. These derivatives are further utilized in the manufacture of thousands of products, such as synthetic detergents, emulsifiers, antifreeze agents, plasticizers, lubricants, insecticides, and fumigants, highlighting the compound's extensive industrial applications.

In addition, ethylene oxide is a highly effective, broad-spectrum gaseous sterilizing and disinfecting agent. Its strong penetrating ability enables it to reach deep into materials and eliminate various pathogenic microorganisms, including vegetative bacteria, bacterial spores, viruses, and fungi.

Ethylene oxide Chemical Properties

Product Application of Ethylene oxide CAS#75-21-8

Ethylene oxide is an important raw material in the fine chemical industry and is used to produce a broad range of fine chemical compounds, including ethylene glycol, non-ionic surfactants, ethanolamines, and ethylene glycol ethers. These derivatives serve as intermediates for thousands of downstream products, such as synthetic detergents, emulsifiers, antifreeze agents, plasticizers, lubricants, insecticides, and fumigants, demonstrating the compound's extensive range of applications.

In the cosmetics industry, ethylene oxide is used as a consistency regulator in the manufacture of creams, toothpaste, and shaving creams. In the pharmaceutical sector, it serves as a base material for ointments, lotions, and suppositories. Within the rubber industry, it functions as a lubricant and dispersing agent, while in synthetic fiber production, it can be used as a polymerization monomer for dyeable polyester.

Ethylene oxide is also widely applied in medical and industrial sterilization. It is commonly used as a gaseous fumigant to sterilize items that are unsuitable for other treatment methods, particularly heat-sensitive materials. These include leather, cotton products, synthetic fabrics, precision instruments, biological products, paper, books, documents, certain pharmaceuticals, and rubber products.