Ethylene
The single largest-volume petrochemical building block in the world — the starting point for polyethylene, ethylene oxide, vinyl chloride monomer, styrene and ethanol.
Chelora Chemicals supplies ethylene to polymer, glycol and intermediate producers worldwide, with cryogenic and pressurised logistics managed end to end.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 74-85-1
- IUPAC name
- Ethene
- Molecular formula
- C₂H₄
- Molecular weight
- 28.05 g/mol
- Boiling point
- -103.7 °C
- Melting point
- -169.2 °C
- UN Number
- UN 1962 / UN 1038*
- HS Code
- 2901 21
* UN 1962 applies to compressed gas, UN 1038 to refrigerated liquid; confirm the exact classification for your shipment mode with your regulatory affairs team.
What Ethylene is used for
Ethylene is a colourless, flammable gas with a faintly sweet odour, the simplest olefin and the highest-volume organic chemical produced worldwide. It is made almost exclusively by the steam cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks — naphtha, ethane, propane or gas oil — at high temperature, followed by cryogenic separation.
Ethylene sits at the head of the petrochemical value chain. Its largest use is polymerisation into polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE) for packaging, film and containers. Major derivative routes include oxidation to ethylene oxide (feedstock for MEG/antifreeze and surfactants), chlorination to ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer (PVC), alkylation with benzene to ethylbenzene (styrene and polystyrene), and hydration to ethanol.
Where it sits in the petrochemical value chain
- Naphtha / Ethane / LPG the hydrocarbon feedstocks cracked to produce ethylene.
- Ethylene (this product) the primary olefin building block for the downstream chains below.
- Polyethylene / Ethylene Oxide / VCM / Ethylbenzene major derivative chains built on ethylene. See Polyethylene HDPE and Vinyl Chloride Monomer.
Handling character
Ethylene is extremely flammable and shipped as a compressed or cryogenic liquefied gas. Full hazard detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Colourless gas / cryogenic liquid |
| Purity | 99.9% min (polymer grade) |
| Moisture & CO2 content | Within producer specification (ppm level) |
| Acetylene content | Within producer specification (ppm level) |
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 | Colourless, flammable gas (cryogenic liquid at -103.7 °C) |
| Boiling point | -103.7 °C |
| Melting point | -169.2 °C |
| Gas density | 1.178 kg/m³ |
| Water solubility | Slightly soluble (~131 mg/L) |
| Flash point | -136 °C (extremely flammable) |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 74-85-1 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put Ethylene to work
The starting molecule for the largest share of the world's plastics, glycols and synthetic fibres.
Polyethylene production
Polymerised into LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE for packaging film, bottles, pipe and containers.
- Polymer-grade specification
- Pipeline, bulk & cryogenic tanker supply
- Technical desk review on request
Ethylene oxide & glycols
Oxidised to ethylene oxide, the feedstock for MEG, antifreeze and surfactant chains.
- Industrial-grade specification
- Documented batch traceability
- Contract & spot supply
VCM & PVC chain
Chlorinated to ethylene dichloride and cracked to vinyl chloride monomer for PVC resin.
- Full analytical documentation available
- Retained sample held against the lot
Styrene & polystyrene chain
Alkylated with benzene to ethylbenzene, dehydrogenated to styrene for polystyrene and ABS.
- Documented batch traceability
- Technical desk review on request
Ethanol & solvents
Hydrated to ethyl alcohol for industrial solvent and chemical-synthesis use.
- Research & process-scale quantities
- Full documentation supplied
Contract & scheduled supply
Polymer and derivative plants running continuous consumption are supported with scheduled pipeline or bulk delivery.
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Price held across the contract period
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Ethylene
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. Ethylene's cryogenic/pressurised handling and purity sensitivity make logistics and producer selection critical — 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.
- Purity and trace-contaminant levels confirmed before we quote. Polymer-grade consistency matters to downstream polymerisation and derivative chemistry.
- UN 1962 / UN 1038 documentation managed end to end. Classification, pressurised or cryogenic packaging approval 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 packaging, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Polymer-grade and chemical-grade both sourced. Matched precisely to your polymerisation or derivative specification.
Shipped as gas or cryogenic liquid, handled with care
Pipeline, pressurised cylinder or cryogenic tanker — tell us your preferred format and we will quote and classify to it.
Pressurised cylinders
Compressed-gas cylinders for small-volume orders and laboratory or trial quantities.
Refrigerated liquid bulk shipment
Cryogenic ISO tank containers rated for liquefied-gas transport, for continuous-consumption plants.
Direct pipeline delivery
Where geography allows, direct pipeline interconnection for continuous-consumption integrated sites.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small pressurised cylinders 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.
Extremely flammable — handle accordingly
Ethylene is an extremely flammable gas, handled under pressure or cryogenically, with a wide flammability range in air. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H220Extremely flammable gas.H280Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated.H281Contains refrigerated gas; may cause cryogenic burns or injury (liquid shipment).
Closed-system handling only. Ethylene must be handled in sealed, vented systems with continuous gas detection and elimination of ignition sources; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch.
Storage
Store in pressurised or cryogenic vessels in a well-ventilated, bunded area away from ignition sources, oxidisers and incompatible materials, with continuous leak detection.
Handling
Handle only in closed systems with appropriate gas detection, forced ventilation and cryogenic PPE where applicable; avoid any inhalation and eliminate ignition sources from the handling area.
Transport
Shipped as UN 1962 (compressed) or UN 1038 (refrigerated liquid), both extremely flammable gases. We confirm and document exact classification, approved pressure or cryogenic vessels and routing 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
Purity, moisture and trace-contaminant levels 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 pressurised/cryogenic 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 Ethylene is made
Ethylene is produced industrially by steam cracking — thermally decomposing hydrocarbon feedstocks such as ethane, naphtha, propane or gas oil at high temperature in the presence of steam — followed by quenching, compression and cryogenic distillation to separate ethylene from propylene, C4s, pyrolysis gasoline and fuel gas.
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 | Simple olefin (alkene) |
|---|---|
| Functional groups | Carbon-carbon double bond |
| Reactivity | Addition polymerisation; electrophilic addition; oxidation, halogenation, alkylation |
| Related compounds | Propylene, Polyethylene, Ethylene Oxide, Vinyl Chloride Monomer (downstream) |
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Ethylene, answered
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