Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE)

Definition: the minimum energy that can ignite a mixture of a specified flammable
material with air or oxygen, measured by a standard procedure.
Depending on the specific application, there are several standard procedures for
determining MIE of dust clouds, solvent vapours and gases.
The common element in all procedures is that the energy is generated by an
electrostatic spark discharge released from a capacitive electrical circuit. The
exact circuit components and the arrangement of electrodes between which
sparks are generated are the principle differences between the methods.
In the following table MIE is quoted for flammable substances mixed with air. A
reference is provided to indicate the source of the data. MIE values are provided
for guidance only. Please check references for specific measurement conditions.
Linq Industrial Fabrics, Inc. makes no claims for the accuracy of the data and
accepts no liability for any use of the data.
Substance
ABS
acetaldehyde
acetaldehyde
acetone
acetyl cellulose
acetylene
acrolein
acrylonitrile
adipic acid
alfalfa meal
allyl chloride
aluminium
aluminium stearate
ammonia
antimony
aspirin
aziridine
benzene
benzene
bisphenol-A
black powder
boron
1,3-butadiene
butane

MIE
(mJ)
30
0.37
0.36
1.15
15
0.017
0.13
0.16
60
320-5100
0.78
50
15
680
1920
25-30
0.48
0.20
0.22
1.8
320
60
0.13
0.25

Ref.
3
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
2
3
3
2
1
3
4
3
3
1
1

butane
n-butyl chloride
cadmium
carbon monoxide
carbon disulphide
carbon disulphide
casein
cellulose
cellulose acetate
charcoal
chromium
cinnamon
coal
coal, pittsburg
cocoa
cocoa
coffee
copal
cork powder
cork powder
corn meal
corn flour
corn starch
cotton (filler)
cotton linters
cyclohexane
cyclopentane
cyclopentane
1,3-cyclopentadiene
cyclopropane
cyclopropane
dextrine
dichlorosilane
diethyl ether
diethyl ether
2,3-dihydopyran
diisobutylene
diisopropyl ether
dimethoxymethane
dimethyl amine
2,2-dimethyl butane
dimethyl ether
2,2-dimethyl propane
dimethyl sulphide
dimethyl sulphide

0.26
0.33
4000
<0.3
0.009
0.015
60
35
20-50
20
140
30
40
250
100
100-180
160
30
45
35-100
40
20
30-60
25
1920
0.22
0.54
0.24
0.67
0.17
0.18
40
0.015
0.19
0.2
0.36
0.96
1.14
0.42
<0.3
0.25
0.29
1.57
0.5
0.48

3
3
3
2
1
3
1
1
3
3
3
1
1
3
1
3
3
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
3
2
1
1
1
2
3

dinitrobenzamide
dinitrobenzoic acid
dinitro-sym-diphenylurea
dinitrotoluamide
dioxane
di-(tert)-butylperoxide
di-(tert)-butylperoxide
epoxy resin
ethane
ethane
ethene
ether
ethyl acetate
ethyl amine
ethyl cellulose
ethyl chloride
ethylene
ethylene oxide
ethylene oxide
ethylene oxide
flour, cake
furan
gasoline
grain dust
grass seed
hemp
heptane
hexamethylenetetramine
hexane
hexane
hydrogen
hydrogen
hydrogen sulphide
hydrogen sulphide
isooctane
isopentane
isopentane
isopropyl alcohol
isopropyl amine
isopropyl chloride
isopropyl chloride
isopropyl ether
isopropyl mercaptan
lignin
lycopodium

45
45
60
15
<0.3
0.5
0.41
15
0.24
0.26
0.07
0.19
1.42
2.4
10
<0.3
0.07
0.06
0.065
0.062
25-80
0.22
0.8
30
60-260
30
0.24
10
0.24
0.29
0.011
0.017
0.068
0.077
1.35
0.21
0.25
0.65
2.0
1.55
1.08
1.14
0.53
20
50

3
3
3
3
2
2
3
1
1
3
2
2
1
1
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
1
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
3
2
1
1
3

magnesium
magnesium
manganese
melamine formaldehyde
methane
methane
methanol
methyl acetylene
methyl acetylene
methylal
methyl cyclohexane
methylene chloride
methyl ethyl ketone
methylformate
methylmethacrylate
nitrostarch
nylon
nylon
paper dust
paraformaldehyde
pentaerythritol
pentane
2-pentene
petroleum ether (benzine)
phenol formaldehyde
phosphorus (red)
phthalic anhydride
PMMA
polyacrylonitrile
polycarbonate
polyethylene
polyethylene
polyethylene teraphthalate
polypropylene
polystyrene
polyvinyl acetate
polyvinyl acetate alcohol
polyvinyl butyral
potato starch
potato starch
propane
propane
propene
propionaldehyde
propylchloride

80
40
305
50-320
0.28
0.3
0.14
0.11
0.115
0.5
0.27
10000
0.53
0.5
15
40
20
20-30
20-60
20
10
0.22
0.18
0.25
10-6000
0.2
15
15-20
20
25
10
70
35
25-400
40-120
160
120
10
20
25
0.25
0.26
0.28
0.4
1.08

1
3
3
3
1
3
1
1
3
2
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
3
2
2
1

propylene
propylene oxide
propylene oxide
pyrethrum
rayon
rice
rice
rubber (hard)
SAN
shellac
silicon
soap
soap
soy flour
sugar
sulphur
tantalum
tetrafluoroethylene
tetrahydrofuran
tetrahydropyran
thiophene
thorium
tin
titanium
titanium
TNT
toluene
trichloroethylene
triethyl amine
triethyl amine
2,2,3-trimethyl butane
uranium
urea formaldehyde
vanadium
vinyl acetate
vinyl acetylene
vinyl chloride
wheat flour
wheat starch
wheat starch
wood bark
wood (filler)
wood flour
m-, o- & p-xylene
yeast

0.28
0.13
0.14
80
240
40
40-120
30
30
10
100
60
60-120
100-460
30
15
120
3.5
0.54
0.22
0.39
5
80
40
25
75
0.24
295
0.75
1.15
1.0
45
80-1280
60
0.7
0.082
<0.3
50
20
25-60
40-60
20
30-40
0.2
50

1
1
3
3
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
1
3
1
3
3
3
3
1
3
1
1
3
3
1
1
2
1
1
3
3
1
3
3
3

zinc
zirconium
zirconium

960
5
15

3
1
3

References
1. Haase, H. (1977) Electrostatic Hazards, Their Evaluation and Control, Verlag
Chemie, Weinheim.
2. Berufsgenossenschaften, Richtlinien Statische Elektrizitt, ZH1/200 (1980),
Bonn.
Buschman, C.H. (1962) De Veiligheid 38: 20-28.
3. Babrauskak, V. (2003) Ignition Handbook, Fire Science Publishers, Issaquah
WA.
4. Bisphenol-A: A Safety & Handling Guide, Publication Number AE-154,
Bisphenol-A Global Industry Group.