Acetylene or ethine is a hydrocarbon recognized for being the simplest and most important alkyne of the group.
It is made up of just two hydrogen and two carbon atoms: C2H2.
Their atoms are joined through a triple bond, which characterizes alkynes.
The structural formula of acetylene is .
Features
At room temperature, acetylene is a colorless and odorless gas in its pure form.
When mixed with other substances, it has a characteristic and unpleasant smell due to the impurities present.
Acetylene gas has low solubility in water, being soluble in organic compounds.
When heated or mixed with air, acetylene becomes extremely flammable.
Acetylene for a being alkyne is more reactive than the alkanes and alkenes.
How is it produced?
The simplest and most used process for acetylene production is through the following chemical reaction between calcium carbide (CaC2) and water (H2O):
During the process calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH) is formed2) and acetylene gas (C2H2).
This reaction is exothermic, that is, it releases a lot of heat, which must be removed to prevent the acetylene from exploding.
Acetylene can still be obtained by cracking the Petroleum, where the hydrocarbons present are broken down into smaller parts.
Learn more about the Hydrocarbons.
What is it for?
Acetylene has several uses in industries, from it numerous compounds are formed.
Its main use is as a raw material for the production of plastics, textile fibers and synthetic rubbers.
some types of polymers like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PVA (polyvinyl acetate) are also obtained through acetylene.
It is also used for cutting metals using a blowtorch and in the production of glass objects.
For some time it was used to light places without electricity, because when burned with an adequate amount of air it generates white light.
Read too:
- Organic chemistry
- Chemical reactions
