What Is Methanol Used For ?
Methanol is an alcoholic compound, and the chemical formula is CH3OH. It is also called wood alcohol, carbinol or methyl alcohol. It is very similar in physical characteristics to ethanol, which is also an alcoholic compound. |
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Methanol is used as fuel and anti-freezing solution. It is the main ingredient in making formaldehyde, which is used in medical industry and industrial processes. Methanol is sometimes added to ethanol to make it more volatile in alcohol. However, methanol is used in extremely small quantities for consumption.
Methanol is an ancient product and was used by the early Egyptians for embalming process. It was discovered for industrial usage in 1661.
Methanol is very volatile. So its performance as a fuel replacement is very limited. However, it is used by higher end racing vehicles. Methanol is produced from fossil fuels, and is obtained from petroleum or natural gases. When methanol is produced using wood it is called bioalcohol.
Many fuel experts actually see methanol as a prospective fuel replacement as it acts differently when combined with hydrogen. There have been many speculations of using methanol is a fuel and it is called methanol economy. In this case methanol will be used as the main fuel for transportation. Methanol is easy to store and it can be made from other resources than fossil fuels. For conversion of methanol, hydrogen is required. However, methanol is very poisonous and can pose several health hazards. There are several experiments being conducted to make better and safer use of methanol and it may have a very lucrative future for times to come.
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