Butane is a highly flammable hydrocarbon gas with the chemical formula C₄H₁₀, consisting of four carbon atoms linked in a straight chain with ten hydrogen atoms.

Discovered in 1849 by Edward Frankland, butane exists as a gas at room temperature, but liquefies easily under moderate pressure, making it ideal for portable fuel applications like cigarette lighters and camping stoves. This colorless gas, with a faint petroleum-like odor, is obtained from natural gas processing and petroleum refining, where it’s separated from other hydrocarbons through fractional distillation.

As one of the most common fuel gases worldwide, butane powers millions of household appliances, serves as an aerosol propellant, and acts as a key feedstock for producing synthetic rubber and plastics.

Reader note: Find a review of the 50 most important industrial gases here.

20 Fun Facts About Butane

Beyond the basics above, what else should we know about Butane? Check out the 20 fun facts below!

1. Butane exists in two forms – n-butane (straight chain) and isobutane (branched) – with different boiling points despite identical formulas.
2. A standard lighter contains about 5 grams of liquid butane, enough to produce roughly 3,000 lights or burn continuously for 30 minutes.
3. Butane is actually denser than water when liquefied (0.58 g/mL), but the gas is twice as heavy as air at room temperature.
4. French chefs prefer butane torches over propane for crème brûlée because butane burns slightly cooler, giving better caramelization control.
5. The gas liquefies at just 31 PSI at room temperature, compared to propane’s 109 PSI, making butane containers much lighter and safer.
6. Winter mountaineers often sleep with butane canisters in their sleeping bags because the gas won’t vaporize below -0.5°C (31°F).
7. Butane is odorless in pure form – the distinctive smell comes from added mercaptans for leak detection, similar to natural gas.
8. Formula One cars used butane-based fuel additives in the 1980s to create power-boosting “fuel bombs” before regulations banned the practice.
9. Some refrigerators use isobutane (R-600a) as an eco-friendly refrigerant with zero ozone depletion potential.
10. Butane can dissolve up to 8% of its volume in polystyrene, which is why it’s used to create foam packaging materials.
11. The compound burns with exactly 2% less energy per gram than propane but produces 10% more carbon dioxide per BTU.
12. Japanese scientists liquefied butane using only hand-warming in 1895, demonstrating its remarkably low critical temperature of 152°C.
13. Professional fire breathers avoid butane because it leaves an oily residue in the mouth, preferring cleaner-burning alternatives.
14. Butane-powered hash oil extraction became so popular it caused a 50% spike in burn unit admissions in Colorado after legalization.
15. The gas forms crystal-like clathrate hydrates with water under pressure, which can block underwater natural gas pipelines.
16. Racing RC cars use special “high-flow” butane valves that deliver 10 times normal flow rates for rapid refueling during pit stops.
17. Cordless hair styling tools switched from butane to batteries mainly due to airline restrictions, not safety concerns.
18. Butane has exactly 13.7% more energy per cubic foot than natural gas but costs about 3 times more per BTU delivered.
19. Some portable coffee makers use butane cartridges, consuming about 15 grams to brew a single cup of espresso at sea level.
20. The compound’s vapor pressure doubles for every 10°C temperature increase, explaining why lighters work poorly in freezing weather.

Final Thoughts

Butane occupies a fascinating position in the landscape of industrial chemistry – a molecule so commonplace that millions handle it daily without a second thought, yet sufficiently complex in its behavior to continue revealing unexpected applications and engineering challenges; a fuel with enough weight to liquefy under modest pressure, yet light enough to vaporize readily at human-scale temperatures.

As we navigate toward more sustainable energy systems, butane’s role will likely evolve rather than disappear, and its exceptional properties ensure it will remain valuable in applications where portability, controllability, and energy density remain vital.

Thanks for reading!