Difference Between Red and Green Antifreeze

Key Difference – Red vs Green Antifreeze
 

An antifreeze is a chemical compound used as an additive. The purpose of using an antifreeze is to lower the freezing point and increase the boiling point of the coolant. The key difference between red and green antifreeze is that red antifreeze lasts longer than green antifreeze.

An antifreeze contains ethylene glycol and propylene glycol  as the bases. When an antifreeze is used along with water, it can serve as a coolant. A coolant is a chemical compound used to regulate the temperature of an engine.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Red Antifreeze
3. What is Green Antifreeze
4. Side by Side Comparison – Red vs Green Antifreeze in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Red Antifreeze?

Red antifreeze is commercially known as Dexcool® that lasts longer than other types of antifreeze. Following the inorganic acid technology or IAT (described below), organic acid technology (OAT) was discovered, which lead to the production of different colored antifreeze formulations (mainly orange colored antifreeze formulations were produced by this technology). Later, the hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT) was invented as a combination of IAT and OAT. This hybrid technology leads to the production of red antifreeze. When compared with green antifreeze and other older versions of antifreeze compounds, red antifreeze is more stable and it improves the water pump life.

What is Green Antifreeze?

Green antifreeze is the regular form of antifreeze. In older times, all the antifreeze forms came in green color. Typically, the antifreeze is mixed with water with a ratio of 50/50. After this dilution, the mixture is called coolant, which is then added to the radiator of the engine. The antifreeze helps to prevent the coolant from freezing by carrying heat to the radiator.

The regular green antifreeze has inorganic acid technology (IAT) as the production basis. In this technique, either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol is used as the chemical base of the antifreeze. This mixture also has some additives such as silicates or phosphates.

What is the Difference Between Red and Green Antifreeze?

Red vs Green Antifreeze
Red antifreeze is commercially known as Dexcool® that lasts longer than other types of antifreeze.	Green antifreeze is the regular form of antifreeze.
Improvement
Red antifreeze is a developed form of antifreeze.	Green antifreeze is the oldest form of antifreeze.
Technology
Red antifreeze is produced from HOAT (hybrid organic acid technology), which is a combination of both inorganic acid technology and organic acid technology.	Green antifreeze is produced from IAT (inorganic acid technology).
Stability
Red antifreeze is more stable compared to green antifreeze.	Green antifreeze is less stable compared to red antifreeze.

Summary – Red vs Green Antifreeze

The green antifreeze was the older version of antifreezes. With the development of technology, different improved formulations of antifreezes were discovered such as orange antifreeze and red antifreeze. The difference between red and green antifreeze is that red antifreeze lasts longer than green antifreeze.

Reference:

1. Ciulla, Vincent. “Antifreeze Differences and Toxicity.” ThoughtCo. Available here  
2. Chilton, and ChiltonDIY.com. “Which Antifreeze Is Right for Your Vehicle?” Chiltons Blog for Automotive Repair Information Online RSS, 6 June 2013. Available here  

Image Courtesy:

1.’Antifreeze in the radiator’By EvelynGiggles – radiator, (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia