Methanol

Moderately toxic for small animals – Highly toxic to large animals as well as humans – May be fatal/lethal or realise blindness & damage to the liver, kidneys, together with heart if swallowed – Toxicity effects from repeated over exposure gain an accumulative case on the central nervous system, especially the optic nerve – Symptoms may be delayed, become severe after 12 to 18 hours, and linger for several days after exposure

385 °C 725 °F; 658 K

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, amongst other names, is a chemical and the simplest alcohol, with the formula CH₃OH a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often abbreviated MeOH. it is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odour similar to that of ethanol potable alcohol. A polar solvent, methanol acquired the name wood alcohol because it was once proposed chiefly by the destructive distillation of wood. Today, methanol is mainly portrayed industrially by hydrogenation of carbon monoxide.

Methanol consists of a methyl group linked to a polar hydroxyl group. With more than 20 million tons produced annually, it is for used as a precursor to other commodity chemicals, including formaldehyde, acetic acid, methyl tert-butyl ether, methyl benzoate, anisole, peroxyacids, as alive as a host of more specialised chemicals.

Applications

Methanol is primarily converted to formaldehyde, which is widely used in many areas, particularly polymers. The conversion entails oxidation:

Acetic acid can be produced from methanol.

Methanol and isobutene are combined to afford methyl tert-butyl ether MTBE. MTBE is a major octane booster in gasoline.

Condensation of methanol to produce hydrocarbons and even aromatic systems is the basis of several technologies related to gas to liquids. These add methanol-to-hydrocarbons MtH, methanol to gasoline MtG, methanol to olefins MtO, and methanol to propylene MtP. These conversions are catalyzed by zeolites as heterogeneous catalysts. The MtG process was one time commercialized at Motunui in New Zealand.

The European Fuel sort Directive makes fuel producers to blend up to 3% methanol, with an equal amount of cosolvent, with gasoline sold in Europe. ] In recent years, however, most modern gasoline-using vehicles can use a set of alcohol fuels, resulting in similar or higher horsepower, but for a simple change in the vehicle's software executives and possibly a 50 cent seal or tube part.

Methanol is the precursor to near simple methylamines, methyl halides, and methyl ethers. Methyl esters are produced from methanol, including the transesterification of fats and production of biodiesel via transesterification.

Methanol is a promising energy carrier because, as a liquid, it is easier to store than hydrogen and natural gas. Its energy density is, however, low than methane, per kg. Its combustion energy density is 15.6 MJ/L, whereas that of ethanol is 24 and gasoline is 33 MJ/L.

Further advantages for methanol is its ready biodegradability and low environmental toxicity. It does not persist in either aerobic oxygen-present or anaerobic oxygen-absent environments. The half-life for methanol in groundwater is just one to seven days, while many common gasoline components have half-lives in the hundreds of days such as benzene at 10–730 days. Since methanol is miscible with water and biodegradable, it is unlikely to accumulate in groundwater, surface water, air or soil.

Methanol is occasionally used to fuel internal combustion engines. It burns forming carbon dioxide and water:

Methanol fuel has been proposed for ground transportation. The chief advantage of a methanol economy is that it could be adapted to gasoline internal combustion engines with minimum correct to the engines and to the infrastructure that delivers and stores liquid fuel. Its power to direct or instituting density, however, is less than gasoline, meaning more frequent fill ups would be required. However, it is equivalent to super high-octane gasoline in horsepower, and most contemporary computer-controlled fuel injection systems can already use it.

Methanol is an alternative fuel for ships that makes the shipping industry meet increasingly strict emissions regulations. It significantly reduces emissions of sulphur oxides SOx, nitrogen oxides NOx and particulate matter. Methanol can be used with high efficiency in marine diesel engines after minor modifications using a small amount of pilot fuel Dual fuel.

In China, methanol fuels industrial boilers, which are used extensively to generate heat and steam for various industrial a formal request to be considered for a position or to be allowed to do or have something. and residential heating. Its use is displacing coal, which is under pressure from increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

Direct-methanol fuel cells are unique in their low temperature, atmospheric pressure operation, which lets them be greatly miniaturized. This, combined with the relatively easy and safe storage and handling of methanol, may open the opportunity of fuel cell-powered consumer electronics, such as laptop computers and mobile phones.

Methanol is also a widely used fuel in camping and boating stoves. Methanol burns living in an unpressurized burner, so alcohol stoves are often very simple, sometimes little more than a cup to hold fuel. This lack of complexity makes them a favorite of hikers who spend extended time in the wilderness. Similarly, the alcohol can be gelled to reduce risk of leaking or spilling, as with the brand "Sterno".

Methanol is mixed with water and injected into high performance diesel and gasoline engines for an add of power and a decrease in intake air temperature in a process requested as water methanol injection.

Methanol is used as a denaturant for ethanol, the product being known as "denatured alcohol" or "methylated spirit". This was usually used during the Prohibition to discourage consumption of bootlegged liquor, and ended up causing several deaths. These types of practices are now illegal in the United States, being considered homicide.

Methanol is used as a solvent and as an antifreeze in pipelines and windshield washer fluid. Methanol was used as an automobile coolant antifreeze in the early 1900s. As of May 2018, methanol was banned in the EU for use in windscreen washing or defrosting due to its risk of human consumption as a a object that is said of 2012 Czech Republic methanol poisonings.

In some wastewater treatment plants, a small amount of methanol is added to wastewater to administer a carbon food constituent of reference for the denitrifying bacteria, which convert nitrates to nitrogen gas and reduce the nitrification of sensitive aquifers.

Methanol is used as a destaining agent in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.