MTBE: Characteristics
High octane, easy blending, and a water problem
What this tab covers The physical and chemical properties that set its grade, price and uses, with the commercial grades and the standards that define them.MTBE is valued for octane, volatility and oxygen content in petrol. Its blending octane is high and its vapour pressure is moderate, so it blends easily without the phase-separation risk of ethanol. Purity matters mainly for HPIB production and solvent grades.
Properties that matter commercially
| Property | Value / specification | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purity | fuel grade about 98% minimum (indicative) | blending consistency | industry specs (indicative) |
| Blending octane (RON) | about 115-118 (indicative) | main source of value | indicative |
| Oxygen content | 18.2% by weight (stoichiometry) | oxygenate credits and emissions rules | stoichiometry |
| Boiling point | 55 C | volatility in blends | physical data |
| Water solubility | about 42-50 g/L (indicative) | groundwater mobility and regulation | physical data (indicative) |
Commercial grades
- Fuel grade
- High-purity grade for HPIB cracking
- Solvent and pharma grade