Naphtha

8030-30-6

Risk

> 5000 mg · kg -1 ( oral rat)

Naphtha is the technical term for petroleum fractions that are rich in cycloalkanes (cyclo paraffins). These can be obtained in a petroleum refinery cracking or by fractional distillation of crude oil. As crude petroleum ( crude gasoline English ) refers to several fractions with different boiling ranges, for example, of 30-180 ° C and 100-200 ° C, as well as higher-boiling mixtures.

Main area of ​​application is the petrochemicals, naphtha is also used in medicinal products.

The word comes from the Greek naphtha νάφθα and has its origin in the Persian word naft for crude oil, which perhaps has its origin in the Babylonian word naptu (of nabatu = lit) for petroleum has. Of naphtha, the names for the compound class of naphthenes and the name of the bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon naphthalene derived.

In the early and high Middle Ages, the Byzantines naphtha sat in flame throwers and primitive hand grenades (see Greek fire ).

In the Czech language, the same sounding word " nafta " is the term for diesel fuel.