Industrial Alcohol: Industrial Uses of Alcohol

Sources of Denatured Alcohol

Denatured alcohol is primarily produced from two key sources - grain and molasses. Most alcohol for industrial use in western countries comes from grain, especially corn, which is fermented to produce ethyl alcohol. In the US, around 75% of denatured alcohol is derived from corn. Molasses, a byproduct of sugar production from sugarcane or sugar beets, is also widely used as a feedstock for denatured alcohol in many countries through fermentation. Other minor sources of denatured alcohol include potato waste and biosynthetic routes using fermentation of engineered microbes.

Chemical Production

One major use of denatured alcohol is in chemical production where it serves as an important raw material and solvent. Ethyl alcohol reacts with ethylene to produce ethyl acetate, a valuable chemical used in paints, coatings, adhesives and more. It also acts as an intermediate in producing ethanolamine, a corrosion inhibitor and component in detergents. Denatured alcohol dehydrates to form ethylene, a key building block in the petrochemical industry that is converted into plastics, fibers and other materials. Similarly, it is used to make esters like ethyl acetate and butyl acetate through esterification reactions. These esters find applications as solvents in lacquers, cleaning products and pharmaceuticals manufacturing.

Fuel Production

Ethanol is widely blended with gasoline to produce fuel ethanol or gasohol. In many countries, regulations mandate the blending of gasoline with up to 10% of fuel ethanol to reduce vehicle emissions, cut petroleum imports and support domestic agriculture. The US, Brazil and EU countries are major producers and consumers of fuel ethanol. Next-generation technologies are developing cellulosic ethanol from non-food biomass which can be used directly in vehicle engines or mixed with gasoline. Industrial alcohol production thus supports the renewable fuels sector. Some companies also produce ethanol gel or ethanol-diesel blends for use in mining operations, airports and military and off-road vehicles.

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care

Significant amounts of denatured alcohol are consumed in the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing active drug ingredients, excipients and solvents. Ethanol acts as a solvent and extractant in the production of various pharmaceutical products like cough syrups, drugs, lotions, creams and gels. It is widely present in medicines either as an active ingredient or inactive carrier. Denatured alcohol also goes into the manufacture of personal care items like aftershaves, fragrances, hair sprays and cosmetics where it helps dissolve or extract other compounds. Its emollient properties further aid in the formulation of cosmetics.

Industrial and Laboratory Solvent

As an excellent polar solvent, industrial grade ethanol finds application as a general purpose industrial and laboratory solvent. It dissolves both polar and nonpolar compounds and has favorable properties like low toxicity and volatility which enable its safe use in industrial processes. Ethanol is often used for cleaning and degreasing metal parts in manufacturing, extraction of fats and oils and synthesis of fine chemicals and intermediates. In laboratories, it is employed as a solvent for reagents, extractions and analytical procedures. Besides being renewable and biodegradable, ethanol provides significant advantages over toxic petrochemical solvents in many settings.

Food and Beverage Processing

Though food-grade ethanol is extensively used in alcoholic beverages, denatured alcohol production also caters to the food industry for non-beverage applications. It preserves certain foods by inhibiting microbial growth. Ethanol extraction is implemented in food production for decaffeinating coffee, producing food-flavorings and obtaining nutritional components like edible oils. As a processing aid, it helps manufacture food ingredients like vinegar, flavors, colors and food-stabilizers. The pharmaceutical, cosmetics and other industries treating or processing consumables also qualify as indirect consumers of industrial ethanol to ensure product purity and safety.

The Versatile Industrial Alcohol

As evident from its diverse industrial uses, alcohol serves as a highly versatile chemical raw material and solution. Given its renewable production from agricultural feedstocks, controlled properties and easy availability globally, industrial demand for alcohol will keep growing steadily into the future. Technical innovations continue improving alcohol manufacturing technologies while applied research explores new reaction pathways and derivatives. Though traditional large-volume applications will remain important, specialized alcohols tailored for newer niche sectors will also emerge. With progressive shifts towards sustainable chemistries, the vital role of denatured alcohol in various industries is poised to broaden and strengthen further.