ACETYLENE – FROM LIGHTING GAS TO NANOTUBES

At the turn of the 20th century, Acetylene was especially popular not only as a source of light but also for heating and cooking. But then electricity began its triumphal march and soon acetylene was no longer used for lighting.

Today it plays an important role not least in the production of plastic semiconductors for the microelectronics industry and in nanotechnology. Acetylene is the fuel gas with the highest flame temperature and the lowest oxygen requirement. That makes it especially well-suited for oxyfuel welding and cutting. Under certain conditions, however, the gas tends to decompose explosively into its constituent components carbon and hydrogen – also known as self-decomposition. That’s why the steel cylinders for acetylene are filled with a highly porous mass containing a solvent such as acetone, in which the gas is safely dissolved.

The scientifically correct designation, by the way, is ethyne. Under that name, the gas is used in the chemical industry, for example, in synthesis processes to manufacture plastics.