Product Description of Acrylonitrile CAS#107-13-1
Acrylonitrile is a colourless, flammable liquid. Its vapours can form explosive mixtures when exposed to open flames. As a non-natural chemical compound, it is industrially mass-produced, with continuous and stable growth in global market demand in recent years.
As a high-volume unsaturated nitrile monomer, acrylonitrile acts as a fundamental raw material for plastics, synthetic rubbers, acrylic fibres and a wide range of chemical derivatives. Though once used as a pesticide fumigant, all agrochemical fumigation applications of acrylonitrile have been completely phased out.
Functioning as a vital organic synthesis intermediate, it is widely utilised in the production of pharmaceuticals, antioxidants, dyes and other fine chemicals. Its core downstream industries cover acrylic and modacrylic fibre manufacturing, as well as high-impact ABS plastic production.
In addition, acrylonitrile is polymerized into styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins, which are extensively applied in automotive components, daily consumer goods and packaging materials. Its end markets also extend to office equipment, luggage and construction materials. Notably, its key derivative adiponitrile is an essential raw material for the production of nylon, dyes, pharmaceutical preparations and agrochemical products.
Acrylonitrile Chemical Properties
| Melting point | -83 °C (lit.) |
| Boiling point | 77 °C (lit.) |
| density | 0.806 g/mL at 20 °C |
| vapor density | 1.83 (vs air) |
| vapor pressure | 86 mm Hg ( 20 °C) |
| refractive index | n20/D 1.391(lit.) |
| Fp | 32 °F |
| storage temp. | 2-8°C |
| solubility | 73g/l |
| form | Liquid |
| color | Clear |
| PH | 6.0-7.5 (50g/l, H2O, 20℃) |
| Odor | Mild pyridine-like odor at 2 to 22 ppm |
| Odor Threshold | 8.8ppm |
| explosive limit | 2.8-28%(V) |
| Water Solubility | Soluble. 7.45 g/100 mL |
| Sensitive | Light Sensitive |
| Merck | 14131 |
| BRN | 605310 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 1.30 at 30.00 °C (headspace-GC, Hovorka et al., 2002) |
| Exposure limits | NIOSH REL: TWA 1 ppm, 15-min C 1 ppm, IDLH 85 ppm; OSHA PEL: TWA 2 ppm, 15-min C 10 ppm; ACGIH TLV: TWA 2 ppm. |
| Dielectric constant | 33.01 |
| LogP | 0.017 at 21℃ |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 107-13-1(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| IARC | 2B (Vol. 71) 1999 |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | 2-Propenenitrile(107-13-1) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Acrylonitrile (107-13-1) |
| Hazard Codes | F,T,N,Xn |
| Risk Statements | 45-11-23/24/25-37/38-41-43-51/53-39/23/24/25-62-63 |
| Safety Statements | 53-9-16-45-61-36/37 |
| RIDADR | UN 1093 3/PG 1 |
| OEB | D |
| OEL | TWA: 1 ppm, Ceiling: 10 ppm [15-minute] [skin] |
| WGK Germany | 3 |
| RTECS | AT5250000 |
| F | 8 |
| Autoignition Temperature | 481 °C |
| TSCA | Yes |
| HazardClass | 3 |
| PackingGroup | I |
| HS Code | 29261000 |
| Hazardous Substances Data | 107-13-1(Hazardous Substances Data) |
| Toxicity | LD50 orally in rats: 0.093 g/kg (Smyth, Carpenter) |
| IDLA | 60 ppm |
Product Usage
Acrylonitrile is predominantly consumed for manufacturing acrylic and modacrylic fibres. It also serves as a critical feedstock for producing multiple polymer-grade materials, including acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins, styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins, adiponitrile, acrylamide, nitrile rubber and barrier resins. While blends of acrylonitrile with carbon tetrachloride were once deployed as pesticide fumigants, all such pesticide-related applications have long since been phased out.
As a commercially vital industrial chemical, acrylonitrile gained widespread industrial adoption from the 1940s onward, driven by rapid expansion within the petrochemical sector.
ABS and SAN resin production represents acrylonitrile’s second-largest end-use market. ABS materials are synthesized by grafting acrylonitrile and styrene monomers onto polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene copolymer backbones, with typical formulations containing roughly 25 wt% acrylonitrile. These engineering resins find broad application in automotive components, recreational vehicle parts, pipe fittings and household appliances.
SAN resins are copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile that normally hold 25–30 wt% acrylonitrile. Thanks to their outstanding transparency and clarity, SAN grades are widely specified for automotive instrument panels, instrument lenses and a wide array of consumer household goods.
