Product Overview
100% Ethylene Glycol Inhibited is a full-strength, corrosion-inhibited glycol sold in Laboratory Grade. It is a clear, colorless, odorless syrupy liquid — denser than water at 1.115 g/mL — with the molecular formula C₂H₆O₂ and CAS Number 107-21-1. The inhibitor package distinguishes this product from uninhibited ethylene glycol: it includes corrosion-control additives designed to protect metals in closed-loop systems, extending the working life of heat transfer circuits, cooling loops, and chiller barrels.
This product is built for facility engineers, maintenance leads, and lab managers who run thermal systems and need a glycol that won't eat through copper, aluminum, or steel over repeated thermal cycles. It is available to order from 1-quart bottles through 330-gallon totes.
Why This Concentration
At 100% concentration, this ethylene glycol ships undiluted — giving the buyer full control over the final mix ratio. That matters because freeze-point depression and viscosity both shift with dilution, and every system has a different target. A 50/50 blend with water is the most common starting point for antifreeze service, but closed-loop heat transfer systems, solar thermal circuits, and ground-source heat pumps may call for anything from 30% to 60% glycol depending on minimum ambient temperature and flow requirements.
Buying undiluted also means you are not paying to ship water. For operations running through multiple gal per fill, the economics of diluting on-site from a full-strength drum or tote are straightforward. The Laboratory Grade designation signals a procurement tier suited for controlled processes where batch consistency and documented specifications are expected — QC labs running freeze-point calibration checks, R&D groups formulating custom coolant blends, and analytical workflows that need a known-purity starting material.
Chemical Profile
Ethylene glycol (C₂H₆O₂, molecular weight 62.07, CAS 107-21-1) presents as a clear, colorless syrupy liquid with no detectable odor. Its density is 1.115 at 68 °F — noticeably denser than water, which means spills will sink rather than float in aqueous runoff. Solubility in water is high, at 100 mg/mL or greater at 63.5 °F. Vapor pressure is very low: 0.06 mmHg at 68 °F, rising to 1 mmHg at 127.4 °F, so evaporative losses under normal operating conditions are minimal. That low volatility is one reason ethylene glycol works well as a long-service heat transfer fluid — the charge stays in the loop instead of venting off.
Industrial Applications
The inhibited form of ethylene glycol finds its widest use wherever the fluid contacts metal surfaces at temperature over weeks or months. Below are the primary application areas.
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Antifreeze and engine coolant. Mixed with water, ethylene glycol depresses the freezing point well below 0 °C and raises the boiling point above 100 °C. The inhibitor additives protect radiator cores, water pumps, and engine block passages against galvanic and cavitation corrosion. Fleet maintenance shops, heavy-equipment yards, and transit agencies use inhibited glycol to extend coolant service intervals.
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Heat transfer fluid. Closed-loop HVAC chillers, process-cooling skids, and solar thermal collectors rely on glycol-water blends to move thermal energy without freezing during shutdowns. The inhibitor chemistry is especially important here: these loops run continuously, and uninhibited glycol would degrade into glycolic and oxalic acids that pit copper tubing and foul heat-exchanger surfaces.
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Solvent in chemical processes. Ethylene glycol serves as a reaction solvent and co-solvent in resin synthesis, polyester manufacturing, and certain extraction processes. Its high boiling point and full miscibility with water make it useful where the solvent must stay liquid through an elevated-temperature reaction step.
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Hydraulic fluid component. Some hydraulic systems — particularly in cold-weather or food-adjacent environments — incorporate ethylene glycol as a base fluid or additive for its low-temperature fluidity and lubricating characteristics.
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Plasticizer. In polymer compounding, ethylene glycol is introduced as a plasticizer to improve flexibility and workability in films, coatings, and molded parts.
Handling & Storage
Ethylene glycol carries a Warning signal word (per the product's GHS classification) with two hazard statements: H302 — Harmful if swallowed and H373 — May cause damage to organs (kidneys) through prolonged or repeated exposure (per the product's GHS classification). Treat it accordingly: wear chemical-splash goggles and nitrile or butyl gloves during transfer operations, and use face shields and aprons for drum-pumping or tote hookups where splashing is likely.
Store containers in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight and strong oxidizing agents or acids. HDPE drums, stainless steel vessels, and lined carbon-steel tanks are all compatible. Keep containers sealed when not in use — while vapor pressure is low, preventing moisture ingress preserves the inhibitor balance. Provide adequate ventilation in enclosed storage bays. If a spill reaches soil or a storm drain, contain it immediately; ethylene glycol is fully water-miscible and can contaminate groundwater rapidly.
Hazmat & Shipping
Ethylene glycol at this concentration is not regulated as a DOT hazardous material for ground transport (per 49 CFR 172.101). It carries no UN number, no hazard class, no packing group, and no proper shipping name under the Hazardous Materials Table. That classification governs the transport marking and placarding requirements — it does not by itself determine a carrier's individual surcharge schedule, routing decisions, or the receiver's own site-specific handling obligations.
All shipments are reviewed by a DOT Hazmat Specialist before dispatch to confirm packaging, labeling, and documentation meet the applicable regulatory requirements for the actual shipment configuration.
Documentation
A Safety Data Sheet ships with every order, available in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. A lot-specific Certificate of Analysis is available on request, documenting the actual analytical results for the batch shipped. A Technical Data Sheet is also on file for buyers who need the full specification summary for internal QC review or incoming-material qualification.
Why Buy from Alliance Chemical
This product is available to order across a wide packaging range — from single quarts for lab and bench work up to 330-gal totes for production-scale fills — with SDS, COA, and TDS documentation on file for every lot. Alliance Chemical has served over 50,000 customers since 1998, shipping from our warehouse at 204 S Edmond St, Taylor, Texas 76574. Product pages and shipping guidance are reviewed by Andre Taki, DOT Hazmat Specialist.