PU FOAM & APPLIANCE INSULATION
Cyclopentane for PU Foam and Appliance Insulation
Cyclopentane is the hydrocarbon blowing agent for rigid polyurethane insulation foam in refrigerators, freezers and cold-storage panels, in place of HCFC-141b. The grade supplied is ≥99% with n-hexane ≤10 ppm, benzene ≤1 ppm and moisture ≤100 ppm, in 150 kg iron drums or ISO tanks.
APPLICATIONS
Where It Is Used
Refrigerators and freezers
Cyclopentane is the blowing agent in the rigid PU foam injected between the liner and outer shell of refrigerator and freezer cabinets and doors. One published appliance-foam formulation uses 10–16 parts cyclopentane and 1.6–2.4 parts water per 100 parts polyol blend, with polymeric MDI; part of the cyclopentane stays in the closed cells as a cell gas with lower thermal conductivity than air.
Cold storage and insulated panels
The same blowing agent is used in rigid PU and PIR insulation for cold-storage and cold-room panels. In Thailand, where the ban on HCFC-141b in foam applications took full effect in January 2026, foam production is described as primarily based on cyclopentane, while smaller enterprises remain on HFC-245fa.
HCFC-141b phase-out and HFC phase-down
Under the Montreal Protocol, developing (Article 5) countries must cut HCFC consumption by 67.5% by 2025 and complete the phase-out in 2030, with a 2.5% servicing allowance until 2040. The Kigali schedule freezes HFC consumption in 2024 for Article 5 Group 1 and in 2028 for Group 2, which includes India, Pakistan, Iraq and the Gulf states. EU Regulation 2024/573 prohibits domestic refrigerators and freezers containing fluorinated greenhouse gases from 1 January 2026 and foams containing them from 1 January 2033, except where required for safety.
Solvent and chromatography use
Outside foam, cyclopentane is used as a fast-evaporating solvent and as a chromatography standard.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES
Challenges You Face
1
Moisture: water in the blowing agent reacts with isocyanate to form CO₂ and adds blowing outside the formulation, so the specification caps moisture at ≤100 ppm; published data sheets state moisture in different units (ppm, wt%, vol%), so compare on one basis
2
Trace impurities: n-hexane ≤10 ppm and benzene ≤1 ppm are the limits to check when qualifying a cyclopentane grade, with the unit and test method stated for each
3
Content and blend: this grade is pure cyclopentane at ≥99%; ≥95% PU grades, grades of about 70% and cyclopentane/isopentane blends (for example 85/15, 70/30, 50/50 and 30/70) are also sold, so confirm which one a formulation is written for
4
Flammable liquid handling: UN 1146, Class 3, packing group II, with explosive limits of 1.4–9.4 vol%; drum and ISO tank transfer and the foaming area call for ventilation and grounded, explosion-proof equipment
GRADES & SUPPLY
Grades, Limits and Packaging
Key values from each product's specification. See the product pages for the full tables; technical data and SDS on request.
| Product | Grade | Key limits | Packaging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclopentane | Cyclopentane ≥99% | n-hexane ≤10 ppm; benzene ≤1 ppm; moisture ≤100 ppm | 150 kg iron drum or ISO tank |
OUR SOLUTIONS
How We Help
Cyclopentane ≥99%, a colorless clear liquid, with n-hexane ≤10 ppm, benzene ≤1 ppm and moisture ≤100 ppm
Supplied in 150 kg iron drums, or in ISO tanks for bulk storage; shipped as UN 1146, Class 3 dangerous goods
Samples available for qualification testing before a bulk order
Technical data and SDS on request; questions answered on WhatsApp
Get a Quote for Cyclopentane
Send us the product, grade, quantity and destination. Technical data and SDS are available on request, and samples are available for qualification testing.