The use of ethylene glycol in production and daily life
Mainly used in the production of polyester, polyester, polyester resins, hygroscopics, plasticizers, surfactants, synthetic fibers, cosmetics, and explosives.
It can also be used as a solvent for dyes, inks, etc., as an antifreeze for preparing engines, a gas dehydrating agent, to manufacture resins, and as a wetting agent for glass paper, fibers, leather, and adhesives.
It can produce synthetic resin PET, fiber grade PET or polyester fiber, and bottle grade PET for making mineral water bottles, etc. It can also produce alkyd resin, glyoxal, etc., and be used as an antifreeze.
In addition to being used as an antifreeze for automobiles, it is also used for the transportation of industrial cooling capacity, commonly referred to as a refrigerant, and can also be used as a condensing agent like water. When using ethylene glycol as a refrigerant, attention should be paid to:
1. Its freezing point changes with the concentration of ethylene glycol in the aqueous solution. When the concentration is below 60%, the concentration of ethylene glycol in the aqueous solution increases and the freezing point decreases. However, when the concentration exceeds 60%, the freezing point shows an upward trend with the increase of ethylene glycol concentration, and the viscosity also increases with the increase of concentration. When the concentration reaches 99.9%, its freezing point rises to -13.2 ℃, which is an important reason why concentrated antifreeze (antifreeze mother liquor) cannot be used directly and must be taken seriously by users.
2. Ethylene glycol contains hydroxyl groups. When working at temperatures between 80 ° C and 90 ° C for a long time, ethylene glycol is first oxidized to glycolic acid, which is then oxidized to oxalic acid, also known as oxalic acid, containing two carboxyl groups. Oxalic acid and its by-products first affect the central nervous system, followed by the heart, and then affect the kidneys. Ethylene glycol ethylene glycol diacid causes corrosion to equipment and leads to leakage. Therefore, anti-corrosion agents must also be included in the prepared antifreeze to prevent corrosion of steel and aluminum, as well as the formation of scale.
The ethylene glycol methyl ether series products are high-performance advanced organic solvents used as solvents and diluents for printing inks, industrial cleaning agents, coatings (nitrocellulose paint, varnish, enamel), copper-clad panels, printing and dyeing, etc. But it is prone to metabolic oxidation to produce toxic oxalic acid, so it cannot be widely used as a solvent.
It can be used as an intermediate for the production of pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and is an intermediate for the fungicides pentaconazole and chloramphenicol. And raw materials for chemical products such as synthetic brake fluid; Leather making, chemical fiber dyeing agents, etc.
Adding ethylene glycol to hydraulic fluid can prevent oil based hydraulic fluid from corroding the rubber in the system; A water-based hydraulic fluid mainly composed of ethylene glycol is a non combustible hydraulic fluid used in aircraft, automobiles, and high-temperature molding machines.
Used as a textile additive, synthetic liquid dye, and raw material for desulfurizers in fertilizer and oil refining production.
Used as an analytical reagent, chromatographic analysis reagent, and capacitive medium.
