Therefore, a vehicle using butanol would return fuel consumption more comparable to gasoline than ethanol. Butanol at 85 percent strength can be used in cars designed for gasoline without any change to the engine (unlike 85% ethanol), and it provides more energy for a given volume than ethanol, almost as much as gasoline. Research is underway to increase the biobutanol yield from biomass.īutanol is considered as a potential biofuel ( butanol fuel). Clostridium produces much higher yields of butanol. It is produced in small quantities in nearly all fermentations (see fusel oil). Biofuel ġ-Butanol has been proposed as a substitute for diesel fuel and gasoline. The monomer butyl acrylate is used to produce polymers.

Many plasticizers are based on butyl esters, e.g., dibutyl phthalate. A variety of butanol derivatives are used as solvents, e.g. Industrial use Ĭonstituting 85% of its use, 1-butanol is mainly used in the production of varnishes. Research in the past few decades showed results of other microorganisms that can produce butanol through fermentation.īutanol can be produced via furan hydrogenation over Pd or Pt catalyst at high temperature and high pressure. Prior to the 1950s, Clostridium acetobutylicum was used in industrial fermentation to produce butanol. In former times, butanol was prepared from crotonaldehyde, which can be obtained from acetaldehyde.īutanol can also be produced by fermentation of biomass by bacteria.

Butyraldehyde is then hydrogenated to produce butanol.Ī second method for producing butanol involves the Reppe reaction of propylene with CO and water: CH 3CH=CH 2 + H 2O + 2 CO → CH 3CH 2CH 2CH 2OH + CO 2 Typical catalysts are based on cobalt and rhodium. Since the 1950s, most 1-butanol is produced by the hydroformylation of propene (oxo process) to preferentially form the butyraldehyde n-butanal. Estimated production figures for 1997 are: United States 784,000 tonnes Western Europe 575,000 tonnes Japan 225,000 tonnes. It is a petrochemical derived from propylene. The largest use of 1-butanol is as an industrial intermediate, particularly for the manufacture of butyl acetate (itself an artificial flavorant and industrial solvent). It is also used in a wide range of consumer products. It is also a permitted artificial flavorant in the United States, used in butter, cream, fruit, rum, whiskey, ice cream and ices, candy, baked goods, and cordials. The unmodified term butanol usually refers to the straight chain isomer.ġ-Butanol occurs naturally as a minor product of the ethanol fermentation of sugars and other saccharides and is present in many foods and drinks. Isomers of 1-butanol are isobutanol, butan-2-ol and tert-butanol. 1-Butanol, also known as butan-1-ol or n-butanol, is a primary alcohol with the chemical formula C 4H 9OH and a linear structure.

Viscosity chemistry formula