Explore the Benefits & Uses of Methanol
Also known as wood alcohol, methanol is a non-consumable type of alcohol that is majorly used to create alternative fuel, solvents, and anti-freeze. Methanol is a colourless, volatile, flammable liquid at room temperature and unlike ethanol, its poisonous for human consumption. Methanol is also used as a raw material in the production of a variety of other chemicals like acetic acid.
Major uses and Benefits of Methanol:
Alternative fuel:
Almost 45% of the world’s Methanol is used in energy-related applications. Because it is liquid at room temperature, it is feasible for use in vehicle fuel and marine fuel for boats. Methanol manufacturers in India blend it with gasoline to produce a very efficient fuel known as MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether). This fuel has much lower emissions than conventional gasoline. Methanol is also used in biodiesel, a renewable source of fuel from plants or animal fats that can be used instead of or blended into conventional fuels.
Antifreeze:
Methanol has chemical properties that allow it to lower the freezing point, and hence increase the boiling point of other water-based liquids. It is injected into the natural gas pipelines during oil and gas transport to lower the freezing point of water for safety purposes. These attributes lead methanol to be used as an antifreeze in windshield washer liquid to prevent the cleaning fluid from freezing.
Solvent:
Methanol manufacturers in India supply it to the industries as it is primarily used as an industrial solvent for the production of inks, resins, adhesives and dyes. It is also used as a solvent in the manufacture of essential pharmaceuticals ingredients and products like cholesterol, streptomycin, vitamins and hormones.
Food:
Although it is poisonous, methanol occurs naturally in small amounts in many living organisms as a part of their metabolic processes. It is even present in certain fruits and vegetables. Dietary methanol helps in regulating human gene activity. It is also helpful in the human body to
metabolize food.
Methanol manufacturers in India make methanol primarily from natural gas. It is used as a base material in chemicals like acetic acid and formaldehyde and in recent years, it has also been used in ethylene and propylene. Mixing methanol with substances like these enables it to be used as an intermediate in the production of thousands of methanol derivative products that we use in our daily lives. Methanol and its derivative products like acetic acid and formaldehyde produced via chemical reactions are used as base materials in acrylic plastic, the synthetic fabric and fiber used to make clothing, adhesives, paints and plywood used in construction. It is also used as a chemical agent in pharmaceuticals and agrichemicals. Its endless myriad applications have made the use of methanol infinite in our lives and throughout society.











