This page provides supplementary chemical data on glycerol.

Material Safety Data Sheet

The handling of this chemical may incur notable safety precautions. It is highly recommended that you seek the Material Safety Datasheet (MSDS) for this chemical from a reliable source and follow its directions.

Structure and properties

Structure and properties
Index of refraction, nD1.4729 at 20 °C
Abbe number?
Dielectric constant, εr42.5 ε0 at 25 °C
Bond strength?
Bond length?
Bond angle?
Magnetic susceptibility?
Surface tension63.4 mN/m at 20 °C 58.6 mN/m at 90 °C 51.9 mN/m at 150 °C
Viscosity1.412 Pa·s at 20 °C

Thermodynamic properties

Phase behavior
Triple point291.8 K (18.7 °C), ~99500 Pa
Critical point850 K (577 °C), 7500 kPa
Std enthalpy change of fusion, ΔfusHo18.28 kJ/mol
Std entropy change of fusion, ΔfusSo62.7 J/(mol·K)
Std enthalpy change of vaporization, ΔvapHo91.7 kJ/mol
Std entropy change of vaporization, ΔvapSo201 J/(mol·K)
Solid properties
Std enthalpy change of formation, ΔfHosolid? kJ/mol
Standard molar entropy, Sosolid37.87 J/(mol K)
Heat capacity, cp150. J/(mol K) 6 °C - 11 °C
Liquid properties
Std enthalpy change of formation, ΔfHoliquid–669.6 kJ/mol
Standard molar entropy, Soliquid206.3 J/(mol K)
Enthalpy of combustion, ΔcHo–1654.3 kJ/mol
Heat capacity, cp221.9 J/(mol K) at 25 °C
Gas properties
Std enthalpy change of formation, ΔfHogas–577.9 kJ/mol
Standard molar entropy, Sogas? J/(mol K)
Heat capacity, cp? J/(mol K)

Vapor pressure of liquid

P in mm Hg11040100400760
T in °C125.5167.2198.0220.1263.0290.0

Table data obtained from CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 44th ed.

loge of Glycerol vapor pressure. Uses formula: log e ⁡ P k P a = {\displaystyle \scriptstyle \log _{e}P_{kPa}=}A × l n ( T ) + B / T + C + D × T 2 {\displaystyle \scriptstyle A\times ln(T)+B/T+C+D\times T^{2}} with coefficients A=-2.125867E+01, B=-1.672626E+04, C=1.655099E+02, and D=1.100480E-05 obtained from CHERIC

Freezing point of aqueous solutions

% glycerol by weight102030405060708090100
Freezing point °C–1.6–4.8–9.5–15.5–22.0–33.6–37.8–19.2–1.617.0
Specific gravity d15°1.024151.049351.075601.102551.129851.157701.185401.212901.239501.26557

Table data obtained from Lange's Handbook of Chemistry, 10th ed. Specific gravity is at 15 °C, referenced to water at 15 °C.

See details on: Dow Chemical or Freezing Points of Glycerol and Its Aqueous Solutions.

Distillation data

BP Temp. °C% by mole water
Vapor-liquid Equilibrium of Glycerol/water P = 760 mmHg
liquidvapor
278.82.7593.15
247.04.6794.73
224.06.9095.63
219.27.6797.43
210.09.0197.83
202.510.3197.24
196.511.5998.39
175.217.5698.99
149.330.0499.64
137.238.4799.76
136.838.9598.78
131.843.5899.76
121.556.3399.84
112.870.6899.93
111.373.8699.94
106.384.4299.96

Spectral data

UV-Vis
λmax? nm
Extinction coefficient, ε?
IR
Major absorption bands? cm−1
NMR
Proton NMR
Carbon-13 NMR
Other NMR data
MS
Masses of main fragments