Mono Ethylene Glycol
The core raw material for polyester and PET production — and the main ingredient in automotive antifreeze, coolants and gas-dehydration fluids worldwide.
Chelora Chemicals supplies MEG to polyester, PET and antifreeze manufacturers worldwide, with full documentation and consistent purity on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 107-21-1
- IUPAC name
- Ethane-1,2-diol
- Molecular formula
- C₂H₆O₂
- Molecular weight
- 62.07 g/mol
- Boiling point
- 197.3 °C
- Melting point
- -12.9 °C
- UN Number
- UN 3082*
- HS Code
- 2905 31
* UN 3082 applies to bulk environmentally hazardous shipments; confirm the exact classification for your shipment size and destination with your regulatory affairs team.
What Mono Ethylene Glycol is used for
Mono Ethylene Glycol (MEG) is a colourless, odourless, viscous, hygroscopic liquid fully miscible with water. It is the simplest member of the glycol family — two hydroxyl groups on an ethane backbone — made industrially by hydrolysing ethylene oxide.
MEG's single largest use is as a monomer for polyester and PET production: it is polycondensed with purified terephthalic acid (PTA) or dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) to form polyethylene terephthalate, the polymer behind polyester fibre, PET bottles and film. Its second major use is as the principal ingredient in automotive antifreeze, de-icing fluids and heat-transfer fluids, including geothermal and industrial cooling systems. MEG is also widely used in natural-gas processing, inhibiting hydrate formation in pipelines and dehydrating gas streams, and in smaller volumes as a capacitor-manufacturing aid and a biological-specimen preservative.
Where it sits in the petrochemical value chain
- Ethylene Oxide the feedstock MEG is hydrolysed from. See that page.
- Mono Ethylene Glycol (this product) the core polyester/PET monomer and antifreeze ingredient.
- Diethylene Glycol / Triethylene Glycol co-products formed alongside MEG in the same ethylene-oxide hydrolysis step. See that page.
Handling character
MEG is harmful if swallowed and may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure. Full hazard detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colourless liquid |
| Assay | 99.8% min (fibre grade) |
| Water content | < 0.1% |
| Diethylene glycol content | Within producer specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Clear, colourless, viscous liquid |
| Boiling point | 197.3 °C |
| Melting point | -12.9 °C |
| Density | 1.1132 g/cm³ |
| Water solubility | Fully miscible |
| Flash point | ~111 °C (combustible) |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 107-21-1 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this glycol to work
The simplest glycol, and the one the global polyester and antifreeze industries are built on.
Polyester & PET production
Polycondensed with PTA or DMT to form PET resin and polyester fibre.
- Fibre-grade specification
- Bulk & drum supply
- Technical desk review on request
Automotive antifreeze & coolant
The principal ingredient in automotive antifreeze, de-icing fluids and heat-transfer fluids.
- Industrial-grade specification
- Documented batch traceability
- Contract & spot supply
Natural-gas hydrate inhibition
Used to inhibit hydrate formation and dehydrate gas streams in pipeline operations.
- Packs sized to customer volumes
- Full analytical documentation available
- Retained sample held against the lot
Industrial heat-transfer fluids
Used in geothermal and industrial cooling/heating circuits for its favourable freeze and boiling profile.
- Documented batch traceability
- Technical desk review on request
Capacitor & specialty manufacturing
Used in capacitor manufacture and as a preservative for biological specimens in smaller-volume applications.
- Research & process-scale quantities
- Full documentation supplied
Contract & scheduled supply
Polyester and antifreeze plants running continuous consumption are supported with scheduled bulk delivery.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Mono Ethylene Glycol
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. Water content and diethylene-glycol impurity levels are critical to polyester-chain quality — that shapes how we manage this line.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm your jurisdiction's import requirements before booking.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.
- Water and DEG content confirmed before we quote. Consistency matters to downstream polyester and antifreeze quality.
- UN 3082 documentation managed end to end. Classification, labelling and carrier compliance confirmed before booking.
- Scheduled call-off scheduling. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Fibre-grade and industrial-grade both sourced. Matched precisely to your polyester or antifreeze specification.
Packed the way your plant receives it
Drum, tote or bulk tank — tell us your preferred format and we will quote and classify to it.
200-230 kg drums
Steel or plastic drums for smaller-volume orders and trial quantities.
~1,000 litre totes
Returnable or one-way IBC totes sized for mid-volume converter orders.
Large-volume bulk shipment
ISO tank or flexi-tank bulk shipment for continuous-consumption polyester and antifreeze plants.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for process trials before a commercial order is placed.
Contracted call-off supply
We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your consumption calendar.
Harmful if swallowed — handle accordingly
MEG is less acutely hazardous than many petrochemical intermediates, but ingestion risk and long-term organ effects still require careful handling. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H302Harmful if swallowed.H373May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
Keep away from children and food-grade materials. Its sweet taste has historically led to accidental ingestion; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch and store accordingly.
Storage
Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, segregated from food and feed materials given its ingestion risk.
Handling
Use standard PPE (gloves, eye protection) for liquid transfer. Avoid ingestion and prolonged or repeated skin contact; provide adequate ventilation when handling heated or atomised material.
Transport
Shipped as UN 3082 for bulk environmentally hazardous quantities; smaller packaged quantities may ship unregulated depending on concentration and volume. We confirm and document exact classification for your specific shipment and destination.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Assay, water content and DEG level confirmed against your process requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS and transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How MEG is made
MEG is produced industrially by the catalytic or non-catalytic hydrolysis of ethylene oxide, a long-established route in petrochemical chemistry. The same reaction co-produces smaller quantities of diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol as the ethylene oxide reacts further with the MEG formed.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Diol / glycol |
|---|---|
| Functional groups | Two primary hydroxyl groups |
| Reactivity | Esterifies with diacids (PET polymerisation); forms acetals and ethers |
| Related compounds | Ethylene Oxide (feedstock), Diethylene Glycol, Triethylene Glycol (co-products) |
Explore the wider petrochemical range
Mono Ethylene Glycol, answered
What is Mono Ethylene Glycol used for?
How is MEG related to PET and polyester?
Is Mono Ethylene Glycol hazardous?
What grade do you supply?
What packing do you offer?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
- Need a related glycol? See our Diethylene Glycol and Triethylene Glycol pages.
Get a quote on Mono Ethylene Glycol today
Send us your required grade, pack size and delivery window. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation.