Physical and Chemical Properties : Where to Search
An index of resources for finding physical and chemical properties of materials.
Handbooks
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CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Online
Almost every data search on a chemical property should begin in the CRC. (Use the link for online access to the current edition. Print copies vary by location and may not be as up-to-date.)
AMP: QD65 H3 2024
Older editions available at other locations.
The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a basic reference book for chemical and physical data. Material is updated and revised and new material included in each annual. Sections include basic constants, units conversion factors and mathematical tables, chemical and physics terminology, organic and inorganic compounds, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, properties of atoms, particles, solids, fluids, polymers, and sections on geophysics, astronomy, and laboratory safety. -
Lange's Handbook of Chemistry
Another major reference work for chemists. (Print only)
Chem Ref: QD65 L362 2005 (16th Ed.)
Steenbock: QD65 L36 2017 (17th Ed.)
Lange's lists the properties of over 4000 organic and 1400 inorganic compounds. The new edition features new tables covering viscosity, thermal conductivity, critical constants, explosion limits, and vapor density, and more. -
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology Online
The Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology presents a wide scope of articles on chemical substances—including their properties, manufacturing, and uses. It also focuses on industrial processes and unit operations in chemical engineering, as well as covering fundamentals and scientific subjects related to the field. Additionally, environmental and health issues concerning chemical technology are also addressed. Comparable to Ullmann's Encyclopedia. -
The Merck Index
Chem Ref: RS51 M4 2006
Older editions available at other locations.
The Merck Index contains over 10,000 monographs with information relating to compounds of significance in research, commerce and environmental impact.
Databases
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SpringerMaterialsCurated data on over 3000 physical and chemical properties of hundreds of thousands of materials and chemical systems (mixtures, alloys, etc). Data sources currently include the Landolt-Börnstein New Series, the Linus Pauling Files and specialized databases on thermophysical properties, polymer thermodynamics, adsorption isotherms, and 32,000+ substance profiles. 1883 – present.
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eEROS: Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic SynthesisOnline encyclopedia containing articles and information on more than 5,100 chemical reagents and catalysts.
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SciFinder-nRequires registration using your @wisc email. Search by chemical name, identification #, chemical structure, or molecular formula. Make sure you are looking at Experimental Properties, not the Predicted Properties (usually have to scroll past the Predicted Properties).
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ReaxysRequires users to create an account before using. Includes data from the Beilstein/Gmelin databases as well as patent information. Search by chemical name, identification #, chemical structure, or molecular formula. Good place to find data for organic compounds.
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Organic Chemistry Data CollectionOriginally curated by UW-Madison professor Hans Reich. Topics include structural information, organic reactions, nomenclature, physical properties, and spectroscopic data.
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NIST Chemistry WebBookProvides thermodynamic properties and various spectra for a large array of compounds. Compiled by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
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Additional NIST DatabasesList of free databases from NIST - includes physical constants, thermodynamic properties and the JANAF Tables, atomic spectra, phase diagrams, and more
Other Reference Data
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DIPPR DataThe Design Institute for Physical Property (DIPPR) Data Project published critically evaluated data on mostly pure organic compounds. UW-Madison owns 14 of their publications in print.
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Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference DataThis journal provides critically evaluated physical and chemical property data, fully documented as to the original sources and the criteria used for evaluation, preferably with uncertainty analysis.
UW-Madison does not have subscription access to this journal, so full text can be obtained in the following ways:
-Request via Interlibrary Loan (ILL); we will scan our print copies or get scans from another library
-1972-2012 volumes: Some are freely available online - may not contain every article from each volume
-Monographs and Supplements from the JPCRD
About this Guide
This site is an index to physical and chemical properties data available through the UW-Madison Libraries. Most resources are online, but some are only in print.
For assistance locating property data, contact askchem@library.wisc.edu.
