Flammable
Gas under pressure
Corrosive
Acute toxic
Irritant
Health hazard
⚠️ For information only; not a substitute for the official Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent odor, usually supplied as a 37% aqueous solution known as formalin. It is widely used in the production of resins, disinfectants, textiles, and preservatives. Its strong reactivity makes it a valuable intermediate in various chemical manufacturing processes.
- Chemical Industry: Key raw material for urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins.
- Textiles: Used in fabric finishing and wrinkle-resistant treatments.
- Disinfectants: Active ingredient in certain disinfectants and preservatives.
- Construction: Used in plywood and particleboard adhesives.
- Laboratory Use: Preservative in biological specimen storage.
Appearance
Colorless liquid (formalin solution) or gas
Odor
Pungent
Molecular Formula
CH2O
Molecular Weight
30.03 g/mol
Boiling Point
-19 °C (gas)
Density
1.09 g/cm³ (37% solution)
Solubility
Completely soluble in water
pH (37% solution)
2.8 - 4.0
Chemical Stability
Stable under recommended conditions
IUPAC Name
formaldehyde
Summenformel
CH2O
Molekulargewicht
30.03 g/mol g/mol
SMILES
C=O
InChIKey
WSFSSNUMVMOOMR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
H220 Extremely flammable gas
H227 Combustible liquid
H280 Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated
H301 Toxic if swallowed
H302 Harmful if swallowed
H311 Toxic in contact with skin
H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
H315 Causes skin irritation
H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction
H318 Causes serious eye damage
H319 Causes serious eye irritation
H330 Fatal if inhaled
H331 Toxic if inhaled
H334 May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled
H341 Suspected of causing genetic defects
H350 May cause cancer
H351 Suspected of causing cancer
H370 Causes damage to organs
H372 Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
H401 Toxic to aquatic life
H402 Harmful to aquatic life
H412 Harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects
⚠️ For information only; not a substitute for the official SDS.