Substance profile
Acrylic Acid
Acrylic Acid is an acrid liquid with acrid odor and fumes.
01 · Identification
What Acrylic Acid is
Acrylic Acid is an acrid liquid with acrid odor and fumes. Its molecular formula is C3H4O2 and its molecular weight is 72.06 g/mol. It boils at 142 °C, melts at 13.6 °C, is miscible with water.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
Other names for Acrylic Acid
- prop-2-enoic acid
02 · GHS classification
Hazards and label elements
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H226 | Flammable liquid and vapour. |
| H332 | Harmful if inhaled. |
| H312 | Harmful in contact with skin. |
| H302 | Harmful if swallowed. |
| H314 | Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
Precautionary statements: P210, P233, P241, P242, P260, P270, P271, P273, P280, P301, P302, P304, P310, P312, P330, P331, P352, P391, P403, P501
03 · Physical and chemical properties
Acrylic Acid properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 142 °C (287.6 °F) | HSDB | |
| 141.11 °C (286 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 141.11 °C (286 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO | |
| Melting point | 13.56 °C (56.4 °F) | HSDB | |
| 12.78 °C (55 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| Density | 1.05 g/cm³ | NIOSH | |
| 1.0511 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 1.0305 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| Solubility | Miscible with alcohol, and ether | HSDB | |
| Miscible with ethanol, ethyl ether; soluble in acetone, benzene, carbon tetrachloride | HSDB | ||
| Miscible with chloroform | HSDB | ||
| Vapor pressure | 3 mmHg | NIOSH | |
| 3.2 mmHg | at 20 °C | CAMEO | |
| 3.97 mmHg | at 25 °C | HSDB | |
| Flash point | 54 °C (129.2 °F) | open cup | HSDB |
| 50 °C (122 °F) | open cup | HSDB | |
| 49.44 °C (121 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| Autoignition temperature | 438 °C (820.4 °F) | HSDB | |
| 437.78 °C (820 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 395 °C (743 °F) | ICSC | ||
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | 2.4 % by volume | HSDB | |
| Upper explosive limit (UEL) | 8 % by volume | HSDB | |
| 15.9 % by volume | HSDB | ||
| 8.02 % by volume | NIOSH | ||
| Vapor density | 2.5 (air = 1) | HSDB | |
| Odor threshold | Water: no data; air: 0.094 uL/L; odor safety class B; B = 50-90% of distracted persons perceive warning of TLV. | HSDB | |
| 1.04 ppm (recognition in air, purity not specified) | HSDB | ||
| Odor Threshold Low: 0.09 [ppm] | Haz-Map | ||
| Critical temperature and pressure | 342.22 °C (648 °F) | HSDB | |
| Corrosivity | Corrosive to metals | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
04 · Handling and storage
Storing and handling Acrylic Acid
Storage conditions
Acrylic acid should be stored in a detached, cool, well-ventilated, non-combustible place, and its containers should be protected against physical damage. Acrylic acid can be stored only in vessels lined with glass, stainless steel, aluminum, or polyethylene. In order to inhibit polymerization during transport and storage, 200 ppm MeHQ (the monomethyl ether of hydroquinone) is commonly added to acrylic acid by the manufacturer. The presence of oxygen is required for the inhibitor to be effective. A major concern during the storage of acrylic acid is the avoidance of elevated temperatures as well as freezing, since both can lead to a failure of the inhibitor system. Ideally acrylic acid should be stored within a temperature range of 15 to 25 °C.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Incompatible materials
React readily with electrophilic, free-radical, and nucleophilic agent
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Acrylic Acid in the storage compatibility matrix →