With a wide range of industrial gas solutions, Messer is committed to meeting all of our customers' gas-related needs.
C2H2
No natural supply on Earth, but exists in the atmosphere of Jupiter
and in interstellar matter
và trong vật chất giữa các vì sao
-83.8 °C
in air: 305 °C in oxygen: 300 °C
Colorless, flammable gas, in pure form odorless; in practice a garlicky smell due to technically related contamination
High-temperature pyrolysis of benzine (at 1,500 °C) or natural gas (at 2,000 °C) or reaction of calcium carbide with water
Acetylene is used in various organic synthesis processes, including the production of plastic semiconductors. It also plays a role in manufacturing PVC, perfumes, flavorings, and vitamin A. Beyond that, acetylene is essential in oxy-fuel welding and cutting, vacuum deposition of diamond, graphite, or polyacetylene films, and in the production of carbon nanotubes.
Acetylene was one of the first gases to be produced on an industrial scale and widely used by the public. In the early 20th century, it was especially popular as a source of light, but also in high demand for heating and cooking. Adolf Messer, who founded the first company to produce acetylene and related application technologies in 1898, remarked: “The brilliance and intensity of acetylene light clearly surpass that of petroleum and gas lighting — as do the simplicity and safety of my acetylene generator.”
But just a few years later, electricity began its triumphant rise, and acetylene quickly fell out of use as a lighting source. The company’s founder responded swiftly, shifting the focus to welding and cutting technologies.
Acetylene is the fuel gas with the highest flame temperature and the lowest oxygen requirement, making it especially well-suited for oxy-fuel welding and cutting. However, under certain conditions, the gas tends to decompose explosively into its basic components — carbon and hydrogen — a process known as self-decomposition. To prevent this, acetylene cylinders are filled with a highly porous material saturated with a solvent such as acetone, in which the gas is safely dissolved.
The word “acetylene” is actually an old term that has stubbornly persisted in metalworking. The scientifically correct name is “ethyne.” Under that name, the gas is used in the chemical industry for various synthesis processes, such as in the production of plastics.
Whether called ethyne or acetylene, the history of C₂H₂ is a classic example of how gas applications continuously evolve with technology. Today, it plays a key role in the production of plastic semiconductors for the microelectronics and nanotechnology industries.
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