Description
Description
Methanol is a clear, colourless, primary alcohol which is completely miscible with water. It is the first and most simple of the primary alcohols. Methanol is a polar solvent and burns with a non luminous bluish flame.
Methanol Common Uses
- Used in the production of biodiesel.
- Aircraft Fuel: Methanol is used in combination with water as an aircraft turbo propellant. The fuel is injected into either turbine or piston engines to provide increased power (power augmentation) at take-off.
- Motor Racing Fuel: Methanol is used as an alcohol fuel capable of operating at compression ratios of up to 16:1. It has a greater ability to cool the air entering the combustion chamber than does gasoline, hence increasing air density and mass flow. Methanol should not be used in normal vehicles, as a fuel of this type will damage an unmodified engine.
- Paint & Resin manufacture – precursor in manufacture of Urea Formaldehyde and Phenol Formaldehyde resins. These resins are then supplied to the chipboard and medium density fibreboard industries as bonding agents.
- Lacquer and Thinner formulations where good solvency and high volatility are desired.
- Rubber Industry: Methanol is widely used as a rubber solvent in the manufacture of various rubber products. The low cost of Methanol makes it ideal for this application.
- Denaturant for ethanol and in synthetic gasoline manufacture.
- Other uses include; printing inks, adhesives, antifreeze, in pharmaceutical manufacture.