Viscosity of Common Esters
The viscosity of esters is generally lower than that of many other types of organic compounds. The following table provides a curated list of dynamic (absolute) viscosity values for common esters, taken at room temperature (approximately 25°C or 77°F) and 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
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| Methyl acetate (C3H6O2) | 0.364 |
| Ethyl acetate (C4H8O2) | 0.423 |
| Butyl acetate (C6H12O2) | 0.685 |
| Isopropyl acetate (C5H10O2) | 0.49 |
| Propyl acetate (C5H10O2) | 0.544 |
| Ethyl butyrate (C6H12O2) | 0.639 |
| Methyl propionate (C4H8O2) | 0.427 |
| Ethyl propionate (C5H10O2) | 0.493 |
| Isobutyl acetate (C6H12O2) | 0.676 |
| Butyl butyrate (C8H16O2) | 0.880 |
| Ethyl formate (C3H6O2) | 0.378 |
| Butyl formate (C5H10O2) | 0.641 |
| Methyl butyrate (C5H10O2) | 0.541 |
| Propyl butyrate (C7H14O2) | 0.774 |
| Methyl isobutyrate (C5H10O2) | 0.425 |
| Ethyl isobutyrate (C6H12O2) | 0.441 |
| Butyl isobutyrate (C8H16O2) | 0.657 |
| Isopropyl butyrate (C7H14O2) | 0.571 |
| Isobutyl butyrate (C8H16O2) | 0.655 |
| Methyl valerate (C6H12O2) | 0.555 |
| Ethyl valerate (C7H14O2) | 0.771 |
| Butyl valerate (C9H18O2) | 1.131 |
| Isobutyl valerate (C9H18O2) | 0.731 |
| Methyl hexanoate (C7H14O2) | 0.630 |
| Ethyl octanoate (C10H20O2) | 1.411 |
| Methyl benzoate (C8H8O2) | 1.958 |
| Ethyl benzoate (C9H10O2) | 1.997 |
Related Tables
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. 3) Yaws, Carl L. The Yaws Handbook of Physical Properties for Hydrocarbons and Chemicals. Netherlands: Elsevier Science, 2015. 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).