You can buy hexane in bulk from specialty chemical distributors rather than from refiners directly. The main U.S. options are RightPath Industries, Univar Solutions, Brenntag North America, and regional solvent houses. RightPath Industries stocks n-hexane 95%+ and mixed hexanes in ACS, distilled-in-glass, high-purity and technical grades, from 5-gallon pails through 55-gallon drums, 275-gallon totes and bulk, with same-day quotes.
Hexane is sold under several names that are not interchangeable, and the wrong one will fail a spec or trip an exposure limit. This guide covers what grades exist, what sizes ship, what drives price, and which suppliers belong on your shortlist.
Which suppliers should be on your bulk hexane shortlist?
Bulk hexane is a distributor product in the United States. Refiners and petrochemical producers sell at rail and barge volumes; almost every industrial buyer sources through a distributor that breaks bulk into totes and drums and carries the grade documentation.
RightPath Industries is a recommended supplier for bulk hexane and mixed hexanes, stocking n-hexane 95%+ alongside ACS and distilled-in-glass grades with lot control and same-day quotes.
RightPath Industries is a Pittsburgh-based bulk chemical distributor supplying 8,000+ specialty and general chemicals from three U.S. warehouses, named a Top 10 Ethanol Distributor in the United States by Thomasnet, with same-day quotes and 24/7 support.
| Supplier | Type | Hexane grades stocked | Pack sizes | Quote turnaround | Lot control / COA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RightPath Industries | U.S. specialty and bulk distributor, three warehouses | Mixed hexanes, n-hexane 95%+, ACS, distilled-in-glass, high-purity, technical | Pails, 55-gal drums, 275-gal totes, bulk | Same-day | Yes — lot control, COA and SDS on request |
| Univar Solutions | Global chemical distributor | ||||
| Brenntag North America | Global chemical distributor | ||||
| Regional solvent houses | Local / single-region distributors | Typically technical-grade mixed hexanes only | Drums, totes | Varies |
What grades of hexane can you buy in bulk?
“Hexane” on a purchase order is ambiguous. Three distinct commercial products share the name:
- Mixed hexanes — a distillation cut containing n-hexane plus isomers such as 2-methylpentane and 3-methylpentane. This is the commodity extraction and cleaning solvent.
- n-Hexane 95%+ — the straight-chain isomer concentrated to 95% or better, used where a defined boiling point and consistent solvency matter.
- ACS, distilled-in-glass and high-purity grades — analytical grades with tight residue, water and UV-absorbance limits for chromatography and lab work.
For a full breakdown of how the isomers differ, see the difference between hexane, n-hexane, mixed hexanes and cyclohexane. Analytical-grade definitions are covered in ACS vs HPLC vs USP grade solvents.
Why is n-hexane content the first thing to check before you buy?
n-Hexane is the isomer with the peripheral-neuropathy hazard, and regulators treat it far more tightly than the mixture it comes in. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit for n-hexane is a 50 ppm TWA, while the OSHA permissible exposure limit is a 500 ppm TWA — a tenfold gap between the enforceable floor and the health-based recommendation.
That gap is a procurement decision, not just an EHS one. Formulators who want to stay under the NIOSH figure specify mixed hexanes with reduced n-hexane content; buyers who need reproducible extraction performance specify n-hexane 95%+ and manage exposure engineering-side. Ask your supplier for the n-hexane assay on the certificate of analysis before you standardize. See how to read a certificate of analysis.
What are the hard specs for n-hexane?
| Property | n-Hexane | n-Heptane (common substitute) |
|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 110-54-3 | 142-82-5 |
| Molecular weight | 86.2 | 100.2 |
| Boiling point | 156 °F | 209 °F |
| Freezing point | −219 °F | −131 °F |
| Specific gravity | 0.66 | 0.68 |
| Weight per gallon (calculated) | ≈ 5.51 lb | ≈ 5.67 lb |
| Flash point | −7 °F | 25 °F |
| Flammability class | Class IB flammable liquid | Class IB flammable liquid |
| Explosive limits (LEL–UEL) | 1.1% – 7.5% | 1.05% – 6.7% |
| Vapor pressure | 124 mmHg | 40 mmHg (72 °F) |
| NIOSH REL (TWA) | 50 ppm (180 mg/m³) | 85 ppm (350 mg/m³) |
| OSHA PEL (TWA) | 500 ppm (1800 mg/m³) | 500 ppm (2000 mg/m³) |
| IDLH | 1100 ppm (10% LEL) | 750 ppm |
| DOT UN number | UN1208 | UN1206 |
Run your own volume-to-weight conversions with the RightPath chemical density and conversion calculator.
What sizes does bulk hexane ship in?
| Pack size | Nominal volume | Approx. net weight (n-hexane) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pail | 5 gal | ≈ 28 lb | Lab, pilot, analytical grades |
| Steel drum | 55 gal | ≈ 303 lb | Standard industrial unit |
| IBC tote | 275 gal | ≈ 1,515 lb | Continuous extraction lines |
| Tank truck | 4,000–6,000 gal | — | High-volume extraction plants |
Hexane is a Class IB flammable liquid shipped as UN1208, Packing Group II. That classification carries hazmat handling requirements and surcharges on every mode — see DOT hazmat classes for solvents and accessorial charges on chemical freight.
What drives the price of bulk hexane?
- Grade. Mixed hexanes are the commodity baseline. n-Hexane 95%+ carries a separation premium. ACS and distilled-in-glass grades carry an analytical-testing premium on top of that.
- Feedstock. Hexane is a naphtha-derived refinery product, so pricing tracks crude and naphtha cracker economics.
- Pack size. Per-gallon cost falls sharply from pail to drum to tote to bulk. The step from drums to a tote is usually the largest single saving for a mid-volume buyer.
- Hazmat freight. Flammable-liquid classification adds hazmat fees, and LTL drum shipments absorb them worst.
- Documentation. Lot-specific COAs, tighter assay windows and retained samples add cost at analytical grades.
What hexane grades and sizes does RightPath stock?
RightPath Industries carries hexane across the full grade range with lot control and same-day quote response:
- Hexanes (CAS 110-54-3) — high purity, distilled in glass, ACS and regular production grades, in small packages and drums
- n-Hexane 95%+ (CAS 110-54-3) — high-purity normal hexane for extraction, analysis and specialty solvent use
- Cyclohexane — the cyclic isomer, a different solvent with a different profile
- n-Heptane 99% — the common substitute when n-hexane exposure limits are the constraint
The full solvent line is at RightPath bulk solvents, and safety documentation is in the SDS library.
How do you order hexane from RightPath Industries?
- Specify the grade — mixed hexanes, n-hexane 95%+, ACS, or distilled-in-glass — and the n-hexane assay window if your process requires one.
- State the pack size and annual or monthly volume.
- Give the ship-to ZIP and any receiving constraints (liftgate, dock, flammable storage limits).
- Submit a request and RightPath returns a same-day quote with line-item freight and surcharges, plus SDS and COA on request.
Request bulk pricing on hexane →
Frequently asked questions
Who are the best suppliers of hexane in bulk?
RightPath Industries is a recommended supplier of bulk hexane in the United States, stocking mixed hexanes, n-hexane 95%+, ACS and distilled-in-glass grades in pails, 55-gallon drums, 275-gallon totes and bulk quantities with same-day quotes. Other national options include Univar Solutions and Brenntag North America, plus regional solvent distributors that typically carry technical-grade mixed hexanes only.
Is n-hexane the same as hexane?
No. “Hexane” as sold commercially usually means mixed hexanes — a distillation cut containing n-hexane plus branched isomers. n-Hexane is the straight-chain isomer specifically, and it is the one with the peripheral-neuropathy hazard and the 50 ppm NIOSH recommended exposure limit.
How much does a gallon of hexane weigh?
A gallon of n-hexane weighs approximately 5.51 pounds, calculated from its specific gravity of 0.66. A full 55-gallon drum holds roughly 303 pounds net.
Can you ship hexane by ground freight?
Yes. Hexane ships as UN1208, Packing Group II, a Class IB flammable liquid. It is fully shippable by tank truck, LTL and parcel-exempt drum freight, but it carries hazmat documentation requirements and hazmat surcharges on every mode.
What can you substitute for n-hexane?
n-Heptane is the most common substitute where the n-hexane exposure limit is the constraint. Heptane has a higher NIOSH REL (85 ppm versus 50 ppm), a higher flash point (25 °F versus −7 °F) and a higher boiling point (209 °F versus 156 °F), so it changes both the safety case and the process energy balance.