性状  无色透明液体, 有似杂醇油气味，但较弱些。有强折光性。燃烧时发强光火焰。附于纸上残留油脂点。能与醇、醚、苯及许多有机溶剂混溶，溶于水(25℃时溶解度为9.1ml/100ml)。能与水形成共沸混合物(含水37%)，共沸点92℃。低毒，半数致死量（大鼠，经口）4.36g/kg。易燃，蒸气能与空气形成爆炸性混合物，爆炸极限1.45%-11.25%(体积)。对眼睛、黏膜有轻微刺激性。
密度：0.810
熔点:-90℃
沸点：116-118℃
闪点：36-38℃
折光率n20/D：1.3993
   
质量标准  
GB/T 12590-90
项目Item                                        分析纯       化学纯
                                                 (AR)         (CP)
含量C4H10O Assay,%                              ≥99.0         98.0
色度Color，黑曾单位                            ≤10            15
密度(20℃)Density,g/ml                       0.808-0.811    0.808-0.811
蒸发残渣Evaporation residue，%                 ≤0.001        0.005
水分(H2O)Water，%                              ≤0.2            --
酸度(以H+计)Acidity,mmol/100g                  ≤0.05          0.15
羰基化合物(以CO计)Carbonly compounds,%         ≤0.02          0.04
酯(以CH3COOC4H9计)Esers,%                      ≤0.1           0.3
不饱和化合物(以Br计)Unsaturated compounds,%    ≤0.005         0.05
铁(Fe)Iron,%                                   ≤0.00005       0.0001
易碳化物质Readily carbonizable substances        合格          合格

ACS级
项目名称Item                                  ACS Grade
含量Assay                                      ≥99.4%
色度Color(APHA)                                10
蒸发残渣Residue after evaporation              ≤0.005%
可滴定酸Titrable acid                          ≤0.0008meq/g
羟基化合物Carbonyl compouds(as butyraldehyde)  ≤0.01%
水(H2O)Water                                   ≤0.1%
丁基醚(C8H18O)Butyl ether                      ≤0.2%

品级Grade                               色谱纯 
                                  (for HPLC, ≥99.7%)
外观Appearance                          Colorless Liquid
紫外吸光值UV Absorbance
λ280nm A                               ≤0.01
λ235nm A                               ≤0.10
λ210nm A                               ≤0.70
蒸发残渣Residue on Evaporation          ≤0.001 %
纯度Purity                              ≥99.7% (GC)
不挥发物non-volatile matter             ≤0.001% 
游离酸free acid (as C3H7COOH)           ≤0.002% 
水分water                               ≤0.1%  (Karl Fischer)

无水级
项目                                           无水级
                                              (< 50ppm, extra dry)
纯度Purity                                     >99.5%(GC) 
外观Appearance                                 无色透明液体
水分Water                                      <0.005 % (Coulometric) 
色度Color scale                                <5 APHA 
水分Water                                      <0.005 % (Coulometric)
蒸发残渣Residue after evaporation              <0.001 %
装瓶前0.2um膜过滤Filt.over 0.2 micron PFTE

项目                                    农残级   
                                     (for residue analysis)
外观Appearance                          无色液体
纯度Purity                              ≥99.9% (GC)
色度Color scale                         <10 APHA
水分Water                               <0.1 % (Coulometric)
酸度Acidity (CH3COOH)                   <0.003 %
蒸发残渣Residue after evaporation       <0.0002 %
GC/ECD (as lindane):                    ≤5 ng/L （以杀虫剂林丹计）

品级Grade                               分子生物学级 
                                     (for molecular biology, ≥99%)
外观Appearance                          无色液体
红外光谱鉴别Infrared spectrometry       Conforms to Structure
核磁Proton NMR spectrum                 Conforms to Structure
纯度Purity                              ≥99.0% (GC) 
水分Water                               ≤0.05 % (by Karl Fischer)
分子生物学实验Test for molecular biology Pass

品级Grade                               光谱纯 
                                 (for spectroscopy, 99.5%)
外观Appearance                          无色液体
红外光谱鉴别Infrared spectrometry       Conforms to Structure
纯度Purity                              ≥99.5% (GC) 
水分Water                               ≤0.1 % (by Karl Fischer)
蒸发残渣Residue on Evaporation          ≤0.0005 %
色度Color Test                          ≤10 APHA
λ H2O reference
UV absorption
  λ: 220 nm A:                          ≤1.0
  λ: 225 nm A:                          ≤0.50
  λ: 240 nm A:                          ≤0.10
  λ: 260 nm A:                          ≤0.04
  λ: 280 nm A:                          ≤0.01
  λ: 400 nm A:                          ≤0.01

品级Grade                                FCC 
                                     (≥99.9%, FCC)
外观Appearance                          无色液体
红外光谱鉴别Infrared spectrometry       Conforms to Structure
纯度Purity                              ≥99.9% (GC)
相对密度Specific gravity (25/25°C)     0.807 - 0.809 
折光率Refractive index n20/D            1.397 - 1.402
杂质Impurities(Butyl Ether)             ≤0.15 %
蒸馏范围Distillation Range              ≤1.5 °C
酸度Acid Value                          ≤2.0 ml
砷Arsenic (As)                          ≤3 ppm
镉Cadmium (Cd)                          ≤1 ppm
汞Mercury (Hg)                          ≤1 ppm
铅Lead (Pb)                             ≤10 ppm
贮存  密封阴凉干燥保存。
用途  作为溶剂用以分离高氯酸钾及高氯酸钠，也可分离氯化钠及氯化锂。用以洗涤乙酸铀酰锌钠沉淀。比色测定中钼酸盐法测定砷酸时用。测定牛乳中的脂肪，皂化酯类的介质。显微分析时制备石蜡包埋物质。用作脂肪、蜡、树脂、虫胶、树胶等的溶剂。
分子生物学级正丁醇用在经CsCl梯度离心纯化的DNA中去除溴化乙锭。
联合国编号  1120
Risk：  R10- R22- R37/38- R41- R67-
Safety :  S13- S26- S37/39 - S46 - S7/9-