Related topics: biofuel , gasoline , ethanol production
Ethanol
hideEthanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug, best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages and in modern thermometers. Ethanol is one of the oldest recreational drugs. In common usage, it is often referred to simply as alcohol or spirits.
Ethanol is a straight-chain alcohol, and its molecular formula is C2H5OH. Its empirical formula is C2H6O. An alternative notation is CH3-CH2-OH, which indicates that the carbon of a methyl group (CH3-) is attached to the carbon of a methylene group (-CH2-), which is attached to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group (-OH). It is a constitutional isomer of dimethyl ether. Ethanol is often abbreviated as EtOH, using the common organic chemistry notation of representing the ethyl group (C2H5) with Et.
The fermentation of sugar into ethanol is one of the earliest organic reactions employed by humanity. The intoxicating effects of ethanol consumption have been known since ancient times. In modern times, ethanol intended for industrial use is also produced from by-products of petroleum refining.
Ethanol has widespread use as a solvent of substances intended for human contact or consumption, including scents, flavorings, colorings, and medicines. In chemistry, it is both an essential solvent and a feedstock for the synthesis of other products. It has a long history as a fuel for heat and light and also as a fuel for internal combustion engines.
For more information about Ethanol, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with ethanol
Microbes to Take Over Ethanol Production?
Nov 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Not too long ago, it seemed that ethanol production was the wave of the future. The use of trash, wood chips or different types of plants -- usually grass or corn -- to make ethanol was considered ...
Research finds kava is safe and effective
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
May 11, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- UQ research has found a traditional extract of kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety.
Ethanol vs. Electricity: Biomass converted into electricity could be more efficient than ethanol (w/Video)
May 07, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Concerns over petroleum gas prices and long-term effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment have prompted scientists to look for alternative renewable energy sources for transportation ...
Tiny super-plant can clean up animal waste, be used for ethanol production
Apr 07, 2009 |
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Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a tiny aquatic plant can be used to clean up animal waste at industrial hog farms and potentially be part of the answer for the global energy ...
New hydrogen production method could reduce need for fossil fuels
Jan 06, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have created an entirely natural and renewable method for producing hydrogen to generate electricity which could drastically reduce the dependency on fossil fuels in the future.
Caffeine doesn't reverse the negative cognitive impact of alcohol, study shows
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 07, 2009 |
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People who drink may want to know that coffee won't sober them up, according to new laboratory research. Instead, a cup of coffee may make it harder for people to realize they're drunk.
Wet ethanol production process yields more ethanol and more co-products
Nov 09, 2009 |
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Using a wet ethanol production method that begins by soaking corn kernels rather than grinding them, results in more gallons of ethanol and more usable co-products, giving ethanol producers a bigger bang for their buck - ...
Genomes of biofuel yeasts reveal clues that could boost fuel ethanol production
Nov 05, 2009 |
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As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two studies published online in Genome Re ...
In search of wildlife-friendly biofuels
Oct 01, 2009 |
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When society jumps on a bandwagon, even for a good cause, there may be unintended consequences. The unintended consequence of crop-based biofuels may be the loss of wildlife habitat, particularly that of ...
Alcohol in bloodstream associated with lower risk of death from head injury
Sep 21, 2009 |
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Individuals with ethanol in their bloodstreams appear less likely to die following a moderate to severe head injury, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery.
Precise blending makes marketable product from ethanol co-product
Sep 18, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A Purdue University researcher has found a way to predict the nutrient content in distillers dried grains with solubles, making the ethanol byproduct more marketable as a feedstock.
Cars running on ethanol can pollute too: Brazil study
Sep 17, 2009 |
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Cars running on sugarcane ethanol can produce as many harmful pollutants as those using ordinary petrol (gasoline), according a study published by Brazil's environment ministry.
Ignition for Colombian yucca car
Aug 21, 2009 |
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After a three-year slog Colombian scientists have revved up a car that runs on yucca-derived ethanol, spurring hopes that the Latin American staple could be transformed into an abundant fuel.
Researchers boost production of biofuel that could replace gasoline
Aug 19, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers at Ohio State University have found a way to double the production of the biofuel butanol, which might someday replace gasoline in automobiles.
Longer life linked to specific foods in Mediterranean diet
Jun 23, 2009 |
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Some food groups in the Mediterranean diet are more important than others in promoting health and longer life according to new research published on bmj.com today.
