| During this age of a world on the verge of | | | | gasoline, and even in a mix. Butanol also is not |
| energy crisis, rising fuel prices and oil wars, any | | | | very hygroscopic so it does not require the |
| breakthrough in fuel and energy sources is a | | | | different handling that ethanol requires due to it |
| welcome breath of fresh air. Alongside biodiesel, | | | | water loving properties. If this all wasn't enough, |
| biobutanol may be the holy grail in alternative fuel | | | | butanol also works at a wider range of |
| systems. What is biobutanol and why does it have | | | | temperatures than ethanol, and has excellent cold |
| the potential to revolutionize the alternative fuel | | | | start properties. This means that a gasoline engine |
| industry? Read on to find out. | | | | run on butanol on a cold winter morning will not |
| Biobutanol, like ethanol, is an alcohol. The | | | | have any problems starting. In addition to this, |
| difference between butanol and ethanol is that | | | | butanol can be produced cheaper than fossil fuels, |
| ethanol has 2 carbons in its backbone while | | | | reduces vehicular emissions, and does not attack |
| butanol has 4 carbons. Butanol that originates | | | | the materials commonly used in internal |
| from biomass, or organic matter is referred to as | | | | combustion engines. |
| biobutanol as opposed to petrobutanol which | | | | Biobutanol may be the most realistic replacement |
| originates from petroleum. The reason biobutanol | | | | for gasoline the search for alternative fuels has |
| is hailed to have tremendous potential in helping | | | | produced as of yet. When biobutanol is produced |
| end our world energy crisis is the fact that certain | | | | from organic substance, it has a neutral CO2 |
| bacteria, particularly strains of clostridium have the | | | | balance. This means that the net amount of |
| unique ability to digest all types of organic matter | | | | carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere as a |
| into a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol. | | | | result of the consumption of butanol is zero. This |
| More recently through a patented process | | | | is possible because of the fact that the plants |
| developed at Ohio State University butanol has | | | | which are used to make butanol themselves |
| been synthesized in larger amounts more | | | | absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as |
| efficiently than previously thought possible through | | | | they grow. This may be the most important |
| the utilization of a strain of clostridium bacteria | | | | consideration in replacing gasoline with butanol |
| known as clostridium tyrobutyricum. The process | | | | because of the detrimental effects this centuries |
| involved in the production of butanol from | | | | consumption of fossil fuels has had on our |
| biomass is quite similar to that of ethanol, | | | | environment. Which the phasing out of fossil fuels |
| essentially consisting of bacteria or other | | | | and the phasing in of biomass based fuels like |
| micro-organisms breaking down a solution of | | | | biodiesel, biobutanol, and ethanol we can take the |
| sugar, starch, lignin, or fiber into a mixture of | | | | proper steps toward a healthier, safer future for |
| chemicals including butanol. The butanol, being only | | | | our offspring. If an effective means to efficiently |
| slightly soluble in water is then separated from the | | | | convert biomass into biobutanol can be developed |
| solution either by an adsorbent or through | | | | in the next decade, there should be nothing |
| distillation. | | | | between the world and the utilization of this |
| So why is butanol particularly useful? Butanol has | | | | promising new fuel. |
| an energy density closer to gasoline than the | | | | Biobutanol may not be economically viable as of |
| other additive which is commonly used today; | | | | yet due to the relatively inefficient manufacturing |
| namely ethanol. Other than its energy density, it | | | | process, but with time and dedicated research |
| mimics gasoline in its burning properties when | | | | this could change. The fact that our present day |
| utilized in a gasoline motor. Along with these | | | | vehicles can run directly on butanol is enough to |
| exciting attributes is the fact that in more than | | | | make research into this fuel a must. As our |
| one test on older vehicles, butanol was safe to | | | | understanding of synthesizing biofuels increases, |
| use at 100% concentration. The engines of the | | | | so will our ability to paint a brighter future for |
| cars which butanol was tested on were not | | | | ourselves as a race. Biobutanol may be the |
| modified in any way. This means the butanol can | | | | gasoline of tomorrow. |
| theoretically be used as a direct substitute for | | | | |