ALL ABOUT E-LIQUIDS

[Darth Omerta]

The coils dont burn the PG or VG, they vaporize it. Im not sure where you're getting your information but the coils do not heat the PG or VG to the point of combustion. The liquids are heated to their boiling point and we inhale the vapor. The boiling point for Propylene Glycol(PG) is 188.2 degrees Celcius and the boiling point of Vegetable Glycerine is 290 degrees celcius. Both have higher boiling points than water which is 100 degrees celcius. Common vaping temperatures are around 200-250 degrees celcius. It would take much more heat for the liquid to actually burn.

I have already noted the Boiling Points (Points of vaporization) of both PG and VG within this thread. I dont think that a change in physical state(liquid to vapor) is a concern here.

By my understanding Thermal Decomposition happens at extremely high temperatures. For example the point of thermal decomposition of water(the temperature at which water breaks down into monotomic oxygen and monotomic hydrogen) is well over 2000 degrees celcius.

What I think you should be concerned with is the Point of Combustion, or the point at which the molecules within PG and VG will actually "burn" thus becoming toxic for inhalation. For VG the point of combustion is around 750C and for PG its around 700C. These are extremely high temperatures and would cause a serious level of discomfort if the coils were firing at those levels.

I do not have sufficient education in chemistry to make assertations based on these numbers and by no means do I claim any level of expertise. I do have a (very) basic understanding of chemistry and Im comfortable discussing it on a theoretical level but not much beyond that. I do not have the proper equipment to actually guage the temperature of my coils under vaping conditions(properly built, even firing coils, proper wicking and saturation with e-juice with consistent airflow passing over the coils), but my best guess is that they dont even come close to the 700C mark.

I will reiterate that if you have strong enough concerns regarding e-liquid and using vaping as a smoking cessation method, then I recommend a different method of smoking cessation.

 

[Izan]

I am not sure what health effects there are from inhaling thermally-decomposed propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.
What are the B.P.'s of PG and VG (respectively)? And what are the respective molecules' "decomposition points" ?

The folks at Disney shoot it at me every time I ride space mountain. Discos use fog machines, theatrical productions use fog machines, musical performers use fog machines.
The information is there if one decided to actually look.

Please find another reason to NOT stop smoking cigarettes.

I

 

[Darth Omerta]

The folks at Disney shoot it at me every time I ride space mountain. Discos use fog machines, theatrical productions use fog machines, musical performers use fog machines.

Actually the VG used in fog machines and such is rarely anything above industrial grade glycerin. What we use in e-liquid is USP Vegetable Glycerin. Im not entirely sure off the top of my head if all glycerin is vegetable glycerin or not but I am absolutely positive that USP grade is far cleaner and more suitable for consumption specifically through inhalation(aerosol).

This is not at all to correct you @Izan it is to support your statement even further.

 

[DaveP]

Propylene---*not* "polyethylene"--- glycol. Got it!
All those chemical-words are like chinese algebra to me.
So it's vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol. There's a lot of carbon in those molecules, no?

Lots of carbon in sugar, too. C12 H22 O11. We are carbon based life forms and we use up our carbon regularly and have to replace it through things we ingest.

 

[Karl Childers]

I have already noted the Boiling Points (Points of vaporization) of both PG and VG within this thread. I dont think that a change in physical state(liquid to vapor) is a concern here.

By my understanding Thermal Decomposition happens at extremely high temperatures. For example the point of thermal decomposition of water(the temperature at which water breaks down into monotomic oxygen and monotomic hydrogen) is well over 2000 degrees celcius.

What I think you should be concerned with is the Point of Combustion, or the point at which the molecules within PG and VG will actually "burn" thus becoming toxic for inhalation. For VG the point of combustion is around 750C and for PG its around 700C. These are extremely high temperatures and would cause a serious level of discomfort if the coils were firing at those levels.

I do not have sufficient education in chemistry to make assertations based on these numbers and by no means do I claim any level of expertise. I do have a (very) basic understanding of chemistry and Im comfortable discussing it on a theoretical level but not much beyond that. I do not have the proper equipment to actually guage the temperature of my coils under vaping conditions(properly built, even firing coils, proper wicking and saturation with e-juice with consistent airflow passing over the coils), but my best guess is that they dont even come close to the 700C mark.

I will reiterate that if you have strong enough concerns regarding e-liquid and using vaping as a smoking cessation method, then I recommend a different method of smoking cessation.

Condescension? Yeah, I can do "condescension". I also can synthesize
"a, N- Dimethylphenethylamine" from a
phenylalanine starter, too, so it's *not* like I don't know anything about chemistry.

 

[Darth Omerta]

Im not sure how I was condescending there but if thats how it was taken then I apologize. I was merely pointing out that I had already researched the PVAP of both liquids being discussed. I am not a chemist and I am merely researching facts and adding my thoughts as to the relevance of those facts as they pertain to vaping. I do feel that your questions have been answered to the best of everyones ability here and that you still feel that vaporizing PG and VG is "too dangerous" for you. I do not believe that we are reaching anywhere near the point of thermal decomposition and I have very little idea as to how bad it would be if we did. The data just isnt there IMO.

Again, I apologize if I was offensive in my response, it was not my intent.