Isobutanol:
The Indian government is likely to introduce a mandate permitting blending isobutanol with diesel by the end of this year.
- Isobutanol is also called isobutyl alcohol, is an alcohol with the chemical formula C₄H₁₀O and one of the four isomers of butanol.
- Properties of Isobutanol:
- It is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor.
- It is only moderately soluble in water.
- It is very flammable and has a flash point that is only slightly above normal room temperatures.
- Its vapors are heavier than air and can spread unnoticed along the ground.
- It can be made from ethanol using fermentation processes.
- It is used as a solvent in the flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and pesticide industries and as a chemical manufacturing ingredient for products such as lacquer, paint strippers, paint primer, and craft paints.
- It is an approved food additive and is also naturally occurring in some foods and many alcoholic beverages.
- Isobutanol may also be used as a biofuel because, like ethanol, it can be manufactured from plants.
- It possesses some favorable properties that make it an attractive fuel for internal combustion engines.
- Isobutanol is less corrosive than ethanol and is much less hygroscopic, which enables it to be transported using the existing fuel infrastructure.
