Supply Specifications
- Purity
- 99.5%+
- Cylinder sizes
- 20 lb, 100 lb, 420 lb
- Certification
- DOT-compliant cylinders
- Delivery
- Direct to your facility
Technical Properties
- Boiling point
- ≈ -0.5°C (31°F)
- Structure
- Straight-chain alkane
- Relative vapor pressure
- Lowest of the three hydrocarbons
- Explosive limits (LEL/UEL)
- 1.6% / 8.4%
Why Processors Choose N-Butane
N-butane is the most widely used hydrocarbon solvent in licensed cannabis extraction, and the reason comes down to its boiling point. At roughly -0.5°C, it requires more thermal energy to fully volatilize out of a collected extract than isobutane or propane. That slower evaporation profile gives cannabinoids more time to organize into ordered crystalline or glassy structures rather than an amorphous mass.
The practical result is the texture category most processors associate with hydrocarbon extraction: shatter, wax, and budder from cured material, and the crystalline structure needed for diamond formation. N-butane's lower vapor pressure also means it runs at lower system pressure than propane, which keeps it compatible with a broader range of closed-loop equipment.
As a non-polar solvent, n-butane dissolves lipophilic cannabinoids and terpenes efficiently while leaving polar plant compounds like chlorophyll and water-soluble sugars largely behind.
What 99.5%+ Purity Actually Means
Hydrocarbon purity is described by assay percentage, and the gap between grades matters more than the decimal suggests. Commodity and aerosol-grade hydrocarbon typically falls in the 98 to 99% range and is not intended for consumable extraction. It frequently contains odorants, sulfur compounds, or other additives.
Extraction-grade material specifies 99.5% assay or higher along with control of specific contaminants including sulfur compounds, moisture, and residual oil. Trace contaminants in lower-purity hydrocarbon can carry through into the final extract, complicate residual solvent testing, and affect flavor and stability.
Several licensed markets set a regulatory purity floor. Florida's medical cannabis extraction rules, for example, require solvents to be a minimum of 99.5% purity and free from additives. Confirm the specific purity and documentation standard that applies in your licensing jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What cylinder sizes is n-butane available in?
- We supply n-butane in 20 lb, 100 lb, and 420 lb DOT-compliant cylinders, delivered direct to your facility. Contact our team to discuss the size and delivery cadence that fits your production volume.
- Is n-butane or isobutane better for shatter?
- N-butane is generally preferred for shatter. Its straight-chain structure produces a slower, more even evaporation than branched isobutane, which is closely associated with the glassy, homogenous texture shatter requires.
- Can consumer-grade butane be used for licensed extraction?
- No. Consumer and aerosol-grade hydrocarbon is typically 98 to 99% assay and often contains odorants and sulfur compounds unsuitable for a consumable product. Licensed extraction requires extraction-grade solvent at 99.5% or higher with lot documentation.
Butane vs Propane vs Isobutane for BHO Extraction →
Technical comparison of n-butane, isobutane, propane, and 70/30 blends for hydrocarbon extraction: physical properties, selectivity, and purity grades.