| HS Code | 657322 |
| Chemical Formula | C7H8 |
| Molecular Weight | 92.14 g/mol |
| Cas Number | 108-88-3 |
| Grade | Industrial Use Grade 2 |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Odor | Aromatic, benzene-like |
| Boiling Point | 110.6°C |
| Melting Point | -95°C |
| Flash Point | 4.4°C (closed cup) |
| Density | 0.867 g/cm³ at 20°C |
| Vapor Pressure | 2.8 kPa at 20°C |
| Refractive Index | 1.496 at 20°C |
| Solubility In Water | 0.53 g/L at 20°C |
| Autoignition Temperature | 480°C |
| Purity | ≥99.5% |
As an accredited Ordinary Grade Toluene / Toluene for Industrial Use - Grade 2 factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Supplied in 200-litre sealed steel drums, clearly labelled for safe handling, storage, and transport of industrial Grade 2 toluene. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Load 20′ FCL with 200L drums or IBCs of industrial toluene, securely braced, grounded, labeled, and ventilated for safe transport. |
| Shipping | Ship as UN 1294 Toluene, Class 3, Packing Group II. Use approved steel drums, IBCs, or tank containers with proper grounding and venting. Segregate from oxidizers. Display flammability and toxic hazard labels. Comply with IMDG, IATA, and ADR regulations. Ensure documentation includes flash point, emergency response information, and shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods. |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, sparks, and open flames. Keep containers tightly closed and properly grounded/bonded to prevent static discharge. Use explosion-proof equipment. Segregate from oxidizers and incompatible chemicals. Retain in original labeled, fire-resistant containers or approved safety cabinets, complying with local industrial storage regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life: 24 months from manufacture when stored in tightly sealed containers, away from heat, ignition sources, and direct sunlight. |
In solvent-borne alkyd topcoats formulated for air-atomised spray, ordinary grade toluene meeting ASTM D362 Grade 2 tolerances functions as the fast-to-medium evaporation member of the aromatic diluent package. The compliance boundary for such decorative and maintenance coatings is defined by Directive 2004/42/EC Annex IIA(d), which places a 300 g/L ready-to-use VOC limit on solvent-borne interior/exterior trim and cladding paints; toluene usage therefore requires reformulation of the total solvent blend against the finished paint density and the non-volatile content measured under ISO 11890-2. In a typical medium-oil alkyd gloss enamel, the toluene fraction is 25–45 wt% of the total solvent phase, while the combined solvent content in the liquid coating is 35–50 wt%; at the application point, additional toluene is added at 5–15 vol% of the ready-to-use paint to bring viscosity to 40–60 s through an ISO 2431 4 mm flow cup. Processing on the paint manufacturing line uses a high-speed disperser with tip speed 18–25 m/s for pigment dispersion in the resin/solvent premix, followed by let-down addition of the remaining toluene through a 20–30 µm bag filter before filling. At the coating installation site, the paint is sprayed at 0.3–0.5 MPa air pressure, allowed to flash off for 10–15 min at 20–25 °C, then force-dried at 60 °C for 30 min. Terminal finished products include alkyd gloss enamel for structural steel, chlorinated rubber anti-corrosive intermediate and topcoat systems, and zinc phosphate primer thinners for industrial maintenance packages.
Contact adhesives based on polychloroprene rubber use ordinary grade toluene as the primary solvent because its vapour pressure of 2.93 kPa at 20 °C and evaporation number balance initial tack development against the open assembly window required for positioning large-area substrates. Under REACH Annex XVII row 48, toluene shall not be placed on the market for supply to the general public as an adhesive at concentrations at or above 0.1 wt%; industrial footwear and panel-lamination lines remain within the industrial-use exemption when exhaust capture velocities at the application station are maintained at 0.5–1.0 m/s. In a production batch, the solvent blend is 70–85 wt% toluene, with total adhesive solids held at 15–25 wt% after correction for the tackifier and zinc oxide/magnesium oxide acid-acceptor package; 2–5 phr zinc oxide and 2–4 phr magnesium oxide are typical for heat resistance and viscosity control. The manufacturing sequence begins with banding of polychloroprene on a two-roll mill, followed by charging the milled sheet into a sigma-blade mixer with jacket temperature below 30 °C; toluene is added in two stages to prevent lump formation and to control final batch temperature below 40 °C. Viscosity is checked at 25 °C using ASTM D2196, with an accepted release window of 2,000–8,000 mPa·s; batches above 10,000 mPa·s are rediluted with toluene up to the maximum solvent ratio specified for the end use. Coating by nip roller or manual brush applies 80–120 g/m² wet film, followed by open time of 10–30 min at 23 °C and 50% RH, then a contact bond compression of 0.2–0.5 MPa. Terminal finished products include footwear sole-attachment adhesives, automotive interior headliner and door-panel lamination cements, furniture foam-to-PVC bonding, and construction wall-panel contact adhesives.
Publication gravure plants running 400–600 m/min cylinder speeds specify ordinary grade toluene as the dominant solvent in solvent-borne ink varnishes because its evaporation path supports cell evacuation from engraved cylinders with typical stylus depths between 30 µm and 80 µm. The liquid ink is commonly formulated with toluene at 30–50 wt% based on total ink mass after pigment dispersion; press-side dilution with toluene or a toluene/ester blend is performed in machine sumps to maintain 15–22 s Zahn cup #2 viscosity under ASTM D4212. Compliance requirements for industrial non-food packaging and publication gravure are governed by the EU Solvent Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU Annex VII Part 5, which requires a solvent mass balance and abatement efficiency of at least 90% for presses above the consumption threshold; retained toluene after drying is controlled by gas-chromatographic headspace analysis, with typical specification limits of 10–50 mg/m² for non-food laminates and higher residual thresholds for publication paper, while food-contact reverse-printed film is excluded from this toluene-containing ink platform. Production of the ink involves pre-milling nitrocellulose or polyamide resin with plasticiser and pigment in a bead mill, then reducing the millbase with toluene under high-speed agitation at 10–15 m/s tip speed and filtering through 10–20 µm depth cartridges. The press drying train uses multiple gas impingement hoods with supply air at 60–100 °C and web residence times of 0.5–2.0 s per hood; solvent-laden air is routed to regenerative thermal oxidation. Terminal finished products include publication gravure magazines and catalogues, non-food flexible packaging, decorative laminate paper for furniture surfaces, and pressure-sensitive label stock printed on filmic facestocks.
| Industrial segment | Compliance requirement | Standard or test method | Critical limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coatings | VOC content in decorative and maintenance paints | 2004/42/EC Annex IIA(d) / ISO 11890-2 | 300 g/L ready-to-use |
| Adhesives | General-public supply restriction | REACH Annex XVII row 48 | <0.1 wt% in consumer adhesive mixtures |
| Printing inks | Solvent mass balance and abatement | 2010/75/EU Annex VII Part 5 | ≥90% abatement efficiency |
| Metal cleaning | Workplace exposure | OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2 | 200 ppm TWA 8 h; 300 ppm ceiling |
| Rubber retreading | Workplace exposure and mixing practice | ASTM D3182, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2 | 200 ppm TWA |
| Leather finishing | Spray-booth air monitoring | NIOSH 1501 | 200 ppm TWA |
When ordinary grade toluene is selected for pre-paint metal wiping on cold-rolled steel coil lines, the low sulfur and olefin specification of ASTM D362 Grade 2 reduces the probability of residual staining after stoving and phosphate conversion. The operation is constrained by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2, which sets a toluene permissible exposure limit of 200 ppm as an 8 h TWA, a ceiling of 300 ppm, and a 500 ppm 10 min peak; process ventilation must be sized to keep solvent vapour concentrations below the lower flammable limit. Toluene is applied neat or in a blend of 70–90 vol% toluene with acetone and isopropanol, with consumptions of 20–50 mL/m² reported on flat sheet, although published data for coil-line-specific consumption is limited by line speed and roll profile. The cleaning sequence on a coil preparation line uses a reverse-roll saturator followed by a standing evaporation gap of 5–10 s and forced ambient-air drying at 35–40 °C before chromate or zinc phosphate conversion coating. Terminal finished products include prepainted steel and aluminium coil for architectural cladding, automotive refinish panels after degreasing, and metal cabinets receiving zinc phosphate primer before powder topcoat.
The use of ordinary grade toluene in tyre retreading cement is constrained by the need to dissolve natural rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber without attacking the cured casing surface; toluene addition at 75–85 wt% of the cement maintains a workable solids level of 15–25 wt% after compounding oil and tackifier addition. The mixing procedure under ASTM D3182 begins with standard batch mastications in an internal mixer at 50–60 °C, followed by churn dilution with toluene in a vacuum-rated horizontal mixer at 20–30 °C to avoid solvent boil-off; the cement is then filtered through 75 µm stainless steel mesh to remove undispersed rubber particles. Compliance for retreading shops is set by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1000 Table Z-2 and by applicable emission caps under 40 CFR Part 63 for rubber tire manufacturing, with work zones maintained at 200 ppm TWA or lower. The application sequence includes buffing the casing to remove the degraded surface layer, applying cement with a brush or spray at 60–100 g/m², evaporating solvent for 15–20 min at 25 °C, and pressing the new tread or repair unit under 0.3–0.5 MPa at 140–150 °C during vulcanisation. Terminal finished products include retreaded truck and bus tyres, conveyor belt splicing cements, rubberised fabric for expansion joints, and inner-tube repair patches.
In corrected-grain upholstery leather finishing, the spray-booth operation uses toluene in the diluent phase to depress viscosity while preserving nitrocellulose lacquer film toughness. The formulation addition is typically 10–20 wt% of the ready-to-use spray mixture, with the diluent itself containing 60–80 wt% toluene and the balance butyl acetate and methoxypropanol; the mixed finish is adjusted to 18–25 s DIN 4 mm cup viscosity before application through a 1.0–1.2 mm nozzle at 0.2–0.4 MPa atomisation pressure. Compliance is driven by the EU REACH registration dossier for toluene and by the workplace limits in Directive 98/24/EC, with spray-booth exhaust tested under NIOSH 1501 for airborne aromatic hydrocarbon monitoring; residual toluene in the dried leather finish is checked by headspace GC-FID following an internal procedure derived from sorbent tube sampling. The through-dryer sequence applies 45–60 °C air for 5–10 min, with a cool-down plaiting step before the next basecoat or topcoat pass. Terminal finished products include corrected-grain upholstery leather for furniture and automotive seating, shoe upper leather with solvent-based topcoat, and leather garment finishes where the final film build is 15–25 µm dry thickness.
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Ordinary Grade Toluene, supplied as Toluene for Industrial Use Grade 2, is a single-ring aromatic hydrocarbon solvent with CAS Registry Number 108-88-3, EC Number 203-625-9, and UN Number 1294. The product is refined from catalytic reformate or pyrolysis gasoline by extractive distillation and clay treating, then adjusted to specification through re-run fractionation. Representative certificate-of-analysis boundaries include toluene purity of at least 98.5 wt% by ASTM D2360, non-aromatic hydrocarbon content not more than 1.5 wt%, benzene not more than 0.10 wt%, total sulfur not more than 3 mg/kg by ASTM D4045, Pt-Co color not more than 20 by ASTM D1209, acid wash color not more than 4 by ASTM D848, and distillation range not more than 1.5 °C including 110.6 °C by ASTM D850. Density at 20 °C is controlled within 0.865–0.870 g/cm³ by ASTM D4052. Flash point is 4 °C closed cup by ASTM D56, vapor pressure is 2.9 kPa at 20 °C, and explosive limits are 1.1 vol% and 7.1 vol%. Where Chinese petroleum toluene standards are applied, this material is generally mapped to Type II petroleum toluene under GB/T 3405-2011 rather than Type I nitration-grade material. The product is classified under GHS as Flammable Liquid Category 2, Aspiration Toxicity Category 1, Skin Irritant Category 2, and Specific Target Organ Toxicity Single Exposure Category 3. The material is not equivalent to ASTM D841-21 nitration-grade toluene and is not supplied for nitration, pharmaceutical manufacturing, or analytical reagent use.
The defining separation from nitration-grade material is the allowed non-aromatic hydrocarbon and sulfur envelope. ASTM D841-21 nitration-grade toluene limits non-aromatic hydrocarbons to 0.10 wt% and total sulfur to 1 mg/kg, while the Grade 2 industrial specification permits 1.5 wt% and 3 mg/kg respectively. Benzene is controlled to 0.10 wt% rather than the 0.05 wt% nitration-grade ceiling. Acid wash color is relaxed from ≤ 2 to ≤ 4. These differences do not indicate gross contamination; they reflect a wider distillation cut, reduced re-run severity, and lower clay-treating intensity. For solvent applications, the consequence is a slightly faster evaporation front and a measurable reduction in solvency for very high molecular weight resins. For chemical synthesis, the consequence is a requirement for sulfur guard beds or distillation rerun capacity before the stream contacts platinum-group-metal catalysts, because sulfur at 3 mg/kg can deactivate reforming and hydrogenation catalysts if not removed.
| Property | Grade 2 Industrial Toluene | ASTM D841-21 Nitration-Grade Reference | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-aromatic hydrocarbons | ≤ 1.5 wt% | ≤ 0.10 wt% | ASTM D2360 |
| Benzene | ≤ 0.10 wt% | ≤ 0.05 wt% | ASTM D2360 |
| Total sulfur | ≤ 3 mg/kg | ≤ 1 mg/kg | ASTM D4045 |
| Pt-Co color | ≤ 20 | ≤ 10 | ASTM D1209 |
| Acid wash color | ≤ 4 | ≤ 2 | ASTM D848 |
| Distillation range | ≤ 1.5 °C including 110.6 °C | ≤ 1.0 °C including 110.6 °C | ASTM D850 |
In high-solids alkyd and acrylic industrial coatings, Grade 2 toluene is used as a viscosity-reducing solvent and flow-control agent. The Hansen solubility parameters of toluene are δD 8.8 MPa0.5, δP 0.7 MPa0.5, and δH 1.0 MPa0.5, with a Kauri-butanol value of 102 by ASTM D1133. These values support dissolution of medium-oil alkyds, acrylic copolymers, and hydrocarbon resins. In production-scale high-speed dispersers operated at 18–25 m/s tip speed, addition of 10–20 wt% Grade 2 toluene lowers paste viscosity from approximately 1200–1800 mPa·s to 400–800 mPa·s at 25 °C when measured by ASTM D2196; the exact reduction is resin- and pigment-volume dependent. Higher non-aromatic content near 1.5 wt% reduces the solubility parameter of the solvent blend and may produce haze in high-molecular-weight acrylic solutions after 24 h at 5 °C. Haze is reversible on warming, but it must be considered in cold-weather coating storage.
In solvent-blending operations for industrial coil-coating and spray-applied enamel systems, the wider distillation cut of Grade 2 requires correction of the evaporation balance. The product has an evaporation rate of approximately 2.0 relative to n-butyl acetate by ASTM D3539. When used as the sole primary solvent, the faster flash-off from wet film can reduce sag resistance in conventional suction-feed spray equipment operated at 0.35–0.50 MPa. Compensating additions of a slower aromatic or ester co-solvent at 5–15 wt% of the total solvent fraction are standard practice to restore film levelling without exceeding VOC emission limits under EU Directive 2004/42/EC for industrial installations.
Non-aromatic hydrocarbons in Grade 2 toluene are predominantly close-boiling C6–C7 paraffins and cycloparaffins. Their presence lowers the overall Hansen dispersion and polar solubility parameters of the solvent and increases relative evaporation rate because the paraffinic components have higher vapor pressures at ambient temperature. The result is a binary shift in application behavior: a faster flash-off from wet film and a less aggressive solvency toward polar resins. In spray application at 0.35–0.50 MPa with conventional suction-feed guns, the faster flash-off reduces sag resistance unless the formulation is adjusted with a slower co-solvent or a higher molecular weight cellulose ester. The solvency reduction is most evident in high-molecular-weight styrene-acrylic and cellulosic systems, where the non-aromatic fraction acts as a diluent rather than a co-solvent. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; plant trials typically use a co-solvent replacement of 5–15 wt% of the toluene fraction with ethylbenzene or butyl acetate to restore final film levelling.
In polychloroprene contact-adhesive compounding, Grade 2 toluene is blended with ethyl acetate and n-hexane to control spray viscosity and open time. Production batches are typically adjusted to 1500–2500 mPa·s at 25 °C by ASTM D2196; the toluene fraction is held between 40 and 60 wt% of the solvent blend. Batch-to-batch variation in non-aromatic content from 0.8 to 1.5 wt% alters evaporation during conveyorized drying at 50–70 °C and can shift green bond strength development by 10–15 s. To maintain open time, operators reduce the aliphatic diluent fraction when the toluene lot is near the upper non-aromatic limit. This adjustment is made by in-process viscosity monitoring and is not required for every lot.
In enclosed industrial parts cleaning, Grade 2 toluene is applied only in cold-cleaning stations or closed-loop vacuum degreasers with condensation recovery. Working concentration is 100% solvent, with immersion time of 2–10 min at 20–35 °C. The flash point of 4 °C and lower explosive limit of 1.1 vol% require vapor monitoring below 10% LEL, local exhaust ventilation, and solvent recovery consistent with EU Directive 1999/13/EC. Open-top vapour degreasing is not recommended.
Grade 2 toluene is stored in carbon steel or 316L stainless steel tanks with nitrogen blanketing at 0.5–1.5 kPa gauge. Tanks and transfer piping are electrically bonded and grounded in accordance with NFPA 77; area classification is conducted under IEC 60079-10-1 or API RP 500. The closed-cup flash point of 4 °C by ASTM D56 places the liquid in Class IB flammable liquid under OSHA 1910.106. Lower explosive limit is 1.1 vol%, upper explosive limit is 7.1 vol%, and autoignition temperature is 480 °C. Vapor pressure at 20 °C is 2.9 kPa, so floating-roof or nitrogen-blanketed fixed-roof tanks are required for large inventories under local VOC regulations. Transfer pumps are specified with magnetic-drive sealless construction or double mechanical seals with leak detection; rotary positive-displacement pumps are operated below 1200 rpm when handling low-viscosity aromatic streams. Flexible hoses are constructed of PTFE-lined stainless steel or fluorocarbon elastomer; EPDM and natural rubber are not suitable for continuous toluene service because aromatic absorption causes swelling and loss of tensile strength.
The product should not be stored with strong oxidizers, concentrated nitric acid, or concentrated sulfuric acid. Aerobic tank breathing can generate trace benzaldehyde and benzoic acid over extended storage; nitrogen blanketing and desiccant-dried vents suppress this route. Water ingress above 0.03 wt% should be prevented because free water can create acidic microenvironments at tank bottoms and promote corrosion of carbon steel.
As a chemical intermediate, Grade 2 toluene is routed to solvent recovery, hydrodealkylation, or oxidation units only when downstream unit operations include sulfur removal or distillation rerun capacity. The sulfur ceiling of 3 mg/kg is acceptable for many solvent and resin applications, but platinum and palladium catalysts in hydrogenation or reforming service can be deactivated at sulfur loadings above 1 mg/kg. Therefore, the material is generally not introduced directly into TDI synthesis without a pre-treatment step. In benzoic acid oxidation using cobalt-manganese acetate catalyst at 140–170 °C and 0.6–1.0 MPa air, the non-aromatic fraction is largely unreactive and leaves in the off-gas or accumulates in the recycle loop; a purge stream is maintained in continuous operation to limit build-up. Published data for this specific configuration is limited, but industrial practice is to specify Grade 1 or nitration-grade toluene when catalyst deactivation or yield loss above 1% cannot be tolerated.
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