Naphtha, << NAP thuh or NAF thuh, >> is any liquid composed only of hydrogen and carbon that boils below 450 °F (233 °C). Naphthas obtained during the refining of petroleum are blended to make gasoline. Some types of naphtha are used to dissolve rubber and to thin paints and varnish. Others are used as a cleaning agent and as an ingredient in the manufacture of artificial gas.
Naphtha can also be made when coal tar, a sticky substance made from soft coal, is distilled. Coal tar naphtha is used as a dissolving agent. It is also used in the manufacture of synthetic (artificial) resins. Pure naphtha is highly explosive when exposed to an open flame.
