Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a toxic, flammable liquid used in various industrial processes, antifreeze, fuel, and biodiesel production. It can be produced from renewable resources and is being proposed as a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Methanol can also be used to make biodiesel and denatured alcohol. However, it is corrosive to some metals and more toxic than gasoline. Methanol poisoning can cause blindness and even death. Methanol is traditionally produced from fossil fuels, but biomass methanol production has expanded significantly.
Methanol is the simplest alcoholic compound, consisting of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms arranged as a methyl group (CH3), which is joined with one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom into a hydroxyl group (OH), giving the chemical formula CH3OH. It can be referred to as wood alcohol, wood alcohol, or with the obsolete term carbinol. The compound differs from ethanol, the type of alcohol found in beers, wines and spirits, and is toxic. It is a colourless, tasteless, flammable, rather volatile liquid with a slight odour. Methanol is used in many industrial processes, in some types of antifreeze, as a fuel, and in the production of biodiesel.
it is used
The compound is widely used as a feedstock in the production of other chemicals, especially formaldehyde, which in turn is used in the production of plastics. It is added to ethanol intended for industrial or household cleaning, as opposed to drinking, to make it undrinkable. This avoids the taxes owed on alcoholic beverages. The resulting product is known as denatured alcohol or denatured spirit and typically contains about 10% methanol. Wood alcohol is also an ingredient in some antifreeze mixtures, windshield wiper fluid, and is used as a solvent in various paints and varnishes.
An increasing application of wood alcohol is as a fuel, either directly or in biodiesel production. It has been used in pure form for some time in high-end racing engines, drag racers, and radio-controlled model airplanes, but is being proposed as a viable alternative to fossil fuels for more general use. Like fossil fuels, methanol produces carbon dioxide during combustion, but has the advantage that it can be produced at low cost from renewable resources. It also burns cleaner than fuels such as gasoline, as it does not produce smoke, soot or large amounts of harmful hydrocarbon compounds.
In the methanol economy, this compound would be the common fuel, with non-renewable fuels having a minority share or not being used at all. Nobel Prize-winning chemist George Olah is a strong proponent of this route. Proponents point out that wood alcohol is relatively cheap to produce, can be produced with little or no waste, is efficient to store, and can be produced from sources other than fossil fuels. Furthermore, while the conversion to a hydrogen economy would require major infrastructure changes, methanol could be phased in as it can be blended with fossil fuels such as gasoline to produce hybrid fuels during the transition.
Potential disadvantages include the fact that wood alcohol is corrosive to some metals, especially aluminum. This would require the replacement of some storage tanks, piping and engine parts. It is also more toxic than many other commonly used fuels, including gasoline.
Instead of using the compound as a fuel itself, methanol can be used to make biodiesel, which can be burned in some diesel-powered vehicles without costly engine modifications. Methyl alcohol is heated with vegetable oil, together with sodium or potassium hydroxide, which acts as a catalyst. This process transforms the vegetable oil into smaller molecules that are more suitable as a fuel and produces glycerol as a byproduct.
Toxicity
Humans can tolerate very small amounts of wood alcohol – which is indeed present in small amounts in some foods – without getting sick, as the body is able to get rid of this harmful chemical to some extent, but in larger quantities it is toxic . In the body, it is converted into formaldehyde and formates, which are harmful to cells. In particular, they can affect the optic nerve and interfere with vision. Ingestion of a third of a fluid ounce (about 10 milliliters) or less could cause blindness, and one or two fluid ounces (30 – 60 milliliters) could prove fatal. Methanol poisoning can occasionally result from accidental ingestion, but another possible route is the intentional consumption of denatured alcohol as an inexpensive alternative to alcoholic beverages.
Production
Traditionally, wood alcohol has been produced by combining carbon monoxide and hydrogen and reacting methane with steam. Both processes are performed under pressure and using catalysts, and the raw materials usually come directly or indirectly from fossil fuels. To reduce reliance on these fuels, however, biomass methanol production has expanded significantly. Biomass can be plant material grown specifically for this purpose or a variety of waste materials of plant origin. It is broken down into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is then used to make alcohol.
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