Surface Tension of Common Esters

Surface tension refers to the tendency of the surface of a liquid to minimize its surface area. The surface tension of esters is influenced by the molecular structure of the specific ester in question.

The following table provides a curated list of surface tension values for different esters under 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)

Click on the icon to switch between (mN/m) and (lbf/in) units.

Surface Tension of Esters
Temperature
Methyl acetate (C3H6O2)2524.73
Ethyl acetate (C4H8O2)2024
Butyl acetate (C6H12O2)2514.5
Isopropyl acetate (C5H10O2)2026
Propyl acetate (C5H10O2)2024.3
Ethyl butyrate (C6H12O2)2523.94
Isobutyl acetate (C6H12O2)2023.7
Ethyl formate (C3H6O2)2024
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).