General
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Formaldehyde | |
| Chemical formula | CH2O | |
| Formula weight | 30.03 amu | |
| Synonyms | methanal, methyl aldehyde, methylene oxide | |
| CAS number | 50-00-0 | |
Phase behavior
|
||
| Melting point | 156.2 K (-116.9 °C) | |
| Boiling point | 254.1 K (-19.0°C) | |
| Triple point | 155.1 K (-118.0°C) ? bar |
|
| Liquid density | 1.13 ×103 kg/m3 | |
Gas thermochemistry
|
||
| ΔfH0gas | -115.9 kJ/mol | |
| S0gas | 219.0 J/mol·K | |
| Cp | 35.4 J/mol·K | |
Safety
| ||
| Acute effects | Toxic. May cause irritation to mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, lowered body temperature, lethargy, coma, and death. | |
| Chronic effects | May cause cancer of the nose and mucous membranes. | |
| Flash point | -53°C | |
| Autoignition temperature | 430°C | |
| Explosive limits | 7-73% | |
More info
| ||
| Properties | NIST WebBook | |
| MSDS | Hazardous Chemical Database | |
|
SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used.
Disclaimer and references | ||
The chemical compound formaldehyde (also known by its IUPAC name methanal, is a gas with a strong pungent smell. It is the simplest aldehyde. Its chemical formula is HCHO, sometimes rendered as H2CO. It has a boiling point of -21°C (262 K). Formaldehyde was discovered by the Russian chemist Aleksandr Butlerov in 1859.
Formaldehyde readily results from the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials. It may be found in the smoke from forest fires, in automobile exhaust, and in cigarette smoke. In the atmosphere, formaldehyde is produced by the action of sunlight and oxygen on atmospheric methane and other hydrocarbons. Small amounts of formaldehyde are produced as a metabolic byproduct in most organisms, including humans.
| Table of contents |
|
2 Production 3 Uses 4 Health effects |
Properties
Although formaldehyde is a gas at room temperature, it is readily soluble in water, and it is most commonly sold as a 37% solution in water called by trade names such as formalin or formol. In water, formaldehyde polymerizes, and formalin actually contains very little formaldehyde in the form of HCHO monomer. Usually, these solutions contain a few percent methanol to limit the extent of polymerization.
Formaldehyde exhibits most of the general chemical properties of the aldehydes, except that is generally more reactive than other aldehydes. Formaldehyde is a potent electrophile, and it can participate is electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions with aromatic compounds, and it can undergo electrophilic addition reactions with alkenes. In the presence of basic catalysts, formaldehyde undergoes a Cannizaro reaction to prouduce formic acid and methanol.
Formaldehyde reversibly polymerizes to produce its cyclic trimer, 1,3,5-trioxane or the linear polymer polyoxymethylene. Formation of these substances makes formaldehyde's gas behavior differ substantially from the ideal gas law, especially at high pressure or low temperature.
Formaldehyde is readily oxidized by atmospheric oxygen to form formic acid. Formaldehyde solutions must be kept tightly sealed to prevent this from happening in storage.
Production
Industrially, formaldehyde is produced by the catalytic oxidation of methanol. The most commonly catalysts are silver metal, and a mixture of an iron oxide with molybdenum. In the more commonly used iron oxide system, methanol and formaldehyde react at 400°C to produce formaldehyde according to the chemical equation
The silver-based catalyst is usually operated at a higher temperature, about 650°C. On it, two chemical reactions simultaneously produce formaldehyde: the one shown above, and the dehydrogenation reaction
Uses
Formaldehyde kills most bacteria, and so a solution of formaldehyde in water is commonly used as a disinfectant or to preserve biological specimens. It is also used as a preservative in vaccinations.Most formaldehyde, however, is used in the production of polymers and other chemicals. When combined with phenol, urea, or melamine, formaldehyde produces a hard thermoset resin. These resins are commonly used in permanent adhesives, such as those used in plywood or carpeting. They are also foamed to make insulation, or cast into molded products. Production of formaldehyde resins accounts for more than half of formaldehyde consumption.
Formaldehyde is also used to make numerous other chemicals. Many of these are polyfunctional alcohols such as pentaerythritol, which is used to make paints and explosives. Other formaldehyde derivatives include diphenylmethane diisocyante, an important component in polyurethane paints and foams, and hexamethylene tetramine, which is used in phenol-formaldehyde resins and to make the explosive RDX.
Large formaldehyde exposures, for example from drinking formaldehyde solutions, are potentially lethal. Formaldehyde is converted to formic acid in the body, leading to a rise in blood acidity, rapid, shallow breathing, hypothermia, and coma or death. People who have ingested formaldehyde require immediate medical attention.
In the body, formaldehyde can cause proteins to irreversibly bind to DNA. Laboratory animals exposed to large doses of inhaled formaldehyde over their lifetimes have developed more cancers of the nose and throat than are usual, as have workers in particle-board mills. However, some studies suggest that smaller concentrations of formaldehyde like those encountered in most buildings have no carcinogenic effects. Formaldehyde is listed as a probable human carcinogen.Health effects
Because formaldehyde resins are used in many construction materials, including plywood, carpet, and spray-on insulating foams, and because these resins slowly give off formaldehyde over time, formaldehyde is one of the more common indoor air pollutants. At concentrations above 0.1 ppm in air, inhaled formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and mucus membranes, resulting in watery eyes, headache, a burning sensation in the throat, and difficulty breathing.
