Ethylene glycol

　　Core Application Areas

　　1. Polyester Industry (accounting for over 70%)

　　Polyester Fiber: Condenses with terephthalic acid to generate polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is made into polyester after spinning (the synthetic fiber with the highest world production, used in clothing and home textiles).

　　PET Plastic: Used for mineral water bottles, food packaging, and engineering plastics (such as automotive parts).

　　Unsaturated Polyester Resin: Reacts with maleic anhydride to generate resin, used in fiberglass, coatings, and adhesives.

　　2. Antifreeze and Heat Transfer

　　Automotive Antifreeze: Accounts for 15%-20% of ethylene glycol consumption. By mixing with water in proportion (usually 40%-60%), it lowers the freezing point (preventing the radiator from freezing) and raises the boiling point (preventing overheating), while corrosion inhibitors are added to protect metal components.

　　Industrial Heat Transfer Fluid: Used in cold storage and central air conditioning systems as a low-temperature heat transfer medium (such as refrigeration cycles below -20℃).

　　3. Solvents and Auxiliaries

　　Coating Solvents: Dissolve alkyd resins, epoxy resins, etc., used in water-based coatings and inks to improve the leveling of the coating film.

　　Cosmetic Auxiliaries: Used as humectants (but due to toxicity, have been replaced by propylene glycol).

　　Explosive Raw Materials: Reacts with nitric acid to generate ethylene glycol dinitrate, which is a plasticizer for explosives.

　　4. Other Fields

　　Synthetic Lubricants: Reacts with fatty acids to generate glycol esters, used as metalworking oils and aviation lubricants.

　　Pharmaceutical Intermediates: Used in the synthesis of antimalarial drugs, sedatives, etc.