Key values
Source: compilation of the IEC 60079-20-1:2010 data table and GESTIS (IFA, October 2026); the conservative end of the range (lowest LEL, flash point and AIT, highest UEL); gas group from GESTIS.
Explosive range and ppm values
n-Butanol can ignite when mixed with air between 1.4 % and 12 % by volume. Below the LEL the mixture is too lean to ignite, above the UEL too rich. A rich mixture re-enters the range when it is diluted with air, so concentrations above the upper limit are not safe either.
The lower explosive limit in ppm and g/m³. Useful to compare a gas detector's %LEL reading with ppm values in a measurement report.
| Concentration | ppm | g/m³ (20 °C) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 LEL (100 %LEL) | 14,000 | 43.1 |
| 20 %LEL | 2,800 | 8.63 |
| 10 %LEL | 1,400 | 4.31 |
Lighter or heavier than air?
n-Butanol vapour is heavier than air: relative density 2.56 (air = 1). A release sinks and can collect in pits, trenches, drains and basements and travel a long way along the ground.
Flash point and liquid category
The flash point of n-butanol is 35 °C, the boiling point 117.6 °C.
With a flash point between 23 and 60 °C, it is a Category 3 flammable liquid under the CLP Regulation: H226 “Flammable liquid and vapour”, signal word “Warning”.
At room temperature (20 °C) no ignitable vapour concentration forms above the liquid. An explosive atmosphere can form when the liquid warms up to its flash point, for example in a hot process, a heated vessel or hot weather, or when it is sprayed under pressure (mist). A mist can ignite even below the flash point.
For another liquid, use the flammable liquid category calculator. The product label and safety data sheet apply; mixtures have different values.
Ex equipment selection
Autoignition temperature 325 °C. The maximum surface temperature of equipment in the zone must stay below it: T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 are suitable; T1 is not, because the limit is not below the autoignition temperature.
- T1450 °C not suitable
- T2300 °C suitable
- T3200 °C suitable
- T4135 °C suitable
- T5100 °C suitable
- T685 °C suitable
- IIA not suitable
- IIB suitable
- IIC suitable
Gas group IIB: equipment marked IIB or IIC may be used. The equipment protection level (EPL: Ga, Gb, Gc) depends on the zone, not on the substance; the zone is decided in the explosion protection document from the release and the ventilation. Specific conditions in the certificate (X) and the ambient temperature range are checked separately.
Where is it found?
Used as a solvent in paints, varnishes and coatings, and as a raw material for butyl acetate, butyl acrylate and plasticisers.
Where these values sit in the explosion protection document
- Substance properties. The first step of the document is to record these values, with their source, for every flammable substance on site.
- Hazardous area classification. The lower explosive limit and the density are inputs to the release calculation and to the direction in which the zone extends.
- Equipment selection. The temperature class and the gas group decide whether Ex equipment in the zone is suitable.
This page does not decide zones. The type and extent of a zone are calculated from where, how often and how much is released, and from the ventilation.
Sources
Explosive limits, autoignition temperature, gas group, flash and boiling point: compilation of the IEC 60079-20-1:2010 data table and GESTIS (IFA, October 2026); the conservative end of the range (lowest LEL, flash point and AIT, highest UEL); gas group from GESTIS.
The relative density is calculated from the molar mass (M / 28.96). The ppm and g/m³ values apply at 20 °C and 1 atm (molar volume 24.055 L/mol). The temperature class follows the rule that the surface temperature must stay below the autoignition temperature.
Molecule model: Wikimedia Commons, Butan-1-ol-3D-balls.png (public domain).
This page is for information. For the substance on your site, the current safety data sheet (section 9) and the relevant standards apply. All substances are in the explosive limits table.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LEL of n-butanol in ppm?
1.4 % by volume, that is 14,000 ppm. 10 %LEL corresponds to 1,400 ppm and 20 %LEL to 2,800 ppm.
Is n-butanol heavier than air?
Yes, its vapour is heavier than air. Relative density 2.56 (air = 1): a release sinks and can collect in pits, trenches and drains.
Which Ex equipment is suitable for n-butanol?
Temperature class: T2, T3, T4, T5 or T6 (T1 not suitable). Gas group: equipment marked IIB or IIC. The protection level (EPL) depends on the zone decided in the explosion protection document, not on the substance.
What is the flash point of n-butanol?
35 °C. Under CLP it is a Category 3 flammable liquid (H226).