Butane

Butane (CAS 106-97-8), also identified as R-600 and E943a, is a liquefied petroleum gas supplied as a compressed or liquefied gas for use across energy, industrial, and food-grade applications. It functions primarily as a fuel, propellant, and extraction solvent across multiple sectors. In the food and beverage industry, butane is approved as a propellant and extraction solvent under the E943a designation.

It is used in aerosol food products and edible oil extraction processes. In oil and gas, it serves as a blending component in LPG formulations and as a feedstock for petrochemical synthesis, including production of butylene. Automotive applications include use as a fuel blend component in LPG vehicle systems, where its vapor pressure characteristics determine seasonal blending ratios. It is also used in synthetic rubber manufacturing.

As a refrigerant designated R-600, it is also used in domestic and light commercial refrigeration systems as a low-GWP alternative. Butane is supplied as a liquefied compressed gas in cylinders and bulk tanks. ISO containers are also available for transport. Food-grade and technical-grade specifications are both commercially available, with food-grade product conforming to FCC requirements for use as a solvent.

It is suitable for direct food contact as a propellant. Purity grades typically range from commercial LPG blends to high-purity instrument and extraction grades to meet specific industrial requirements.