Hot-selling High Quality N-hexadecane Cas 544-76-3

Hexadecane serves as the core reference standard for determining the Cetane Number (CN) of diesel fuel. The Cetane Number is a critical metric for assessing the auto-ignition performance of diesel within compression-ignition engines, directly influencing engine starting capability, combustion smoothness, and exhaust emissions.

According to international standards, pure hexadecane is assigned a Cetane Number of 100, signifying excellent ignition performance; conversely, heptamethylnonane (or alpha-methylnaphthalene) is assigned a Cetane Number of 15 (or 0), indicating poor ignition performance. By comparing a test diesel sample against mixtures of hexadecane and heptamethylnonane prepared in varying proportions, its specific Cetane Number can be accurately determined.

Hexadecane also functions as an excellent non-polar solvent, frequently employed to dissolve organic substances such as fats, waxes, and resins. In the field of analytical chemistry, it is utilized as a stationary phase or reference standard in gas chromatography for the separation and analysis of lower hydrocarbons and metal chlorides. Furthermore, owing to its melting point being close to room temperature and its high latent heat, hexadecane can serve as a phase-change energy storage material, finding applications in areas such as building thermal insulation and cold-chain logistics.