Mineral oil
 Liquid paraffinum from a beekeeping store
| |
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Other names
Liquid petroleum
Liquid paraffin Pariffinum liquidum White oil | |
| Properties | |
| Appearance | Colorless odorless viscous liquid |
| Density | 0.836-0.91 g/cm3 (at 20 °C) |
| Boiling point | 310–360 °C (590–680 °F; 583–633 K) |
| Insoluble | |
| Solubility | Miscible with hydrocarbons, anhydrous alcohols Insoluble in glycerol |
| Vapor pressure | <0.1 kPa (at 20°C) |
| Hazards | |
| Safety data sheet | ScienceLab |
| Flash point | 160-168.33 °C (closed cup) |
| Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
| Infobox references | |
Mineral oil is the name given to light mixtures of higher alkanes, obtained from the distillation of petroleum. It is also known as liquid paraffin or pariffinum liquidum, white oil and liquid petroleum.
Contents
Properties
Chemical
Mineral oil has little reactivity and will only ignite in air at high temperatures.
Physical
Mineral oil is colorless, odorless, viscous liquid. It is insoluble in water, but miscible with many organic solvents. It has a density of around 0.85 g/cm3, depending on the type of oil (light or heavy).[1] It has a flash point of 168.33°C[2].
Availability
Mineral oil is available as baby oil, either pure or with perfume. The latter should be removed before using the oil in experiments.
It is also sometimes available as camp fuel. Some lamp and torch oils are 100% mineral oil.
Beekeeping suppliers will also sell mineral oil (labelled paraffin oil), used for the treatment of honey bee mites. It has good purity and generally lacks additives.
Preparation
Mineral oil is best bought than made, as it's very cheap.
Projects
- Store alkali metals
- Make an oil bath
- Make sodium metal
Handling
Safety
Mineral oil poses little risk, but untreated mineral oil is considered hazardous. It is generally not flammable at room temperature, needs prior heating to ignite. Ingestion of mineral oil will lead to diarrhea, as oils are laxative.
Storage
Mineral oil should be kept in closed bottles. As it is not volatile, you can use any clean bottle.
Disposal
No special disposal is required. Should be disposed like any other oil.
