An organic solvent or fuel, bio-butanol is a type of alcohol. Solvents such as this can be made by fermenting sugar, starch, or cellulosic feedstocks such as wheat, sugar beet, corn, straw, and wood. Crude oil can be substituted with bio-butanol. Having a higher octane number, larger flammability limits, and a higher flash point make them suitable fuels. The low vapor pressure of bio-butanol makes it easy to blend with gasoline. It has the potential to generate energy equivalent to gasoline and is non-corrosive in nature, due to which it is considered to be of greater advantage than bioethanol.
Aside from cleaners, adhesives, jet fuel, synthetic rubber, and the solvent in paint, bio-based plastics, and fibers, bio-butanol is also used as a solvent in paints. In addition, 80% of the demand for fuel is projected to be met by them. Growing demand for clean energy is the main factor boosting demand for bio-butanol.
Bio-butanol is able to form polymer chains and blend with other molecules, which is why it is used in products such as acrylates, acetates, glycol ethers, solvents, and plasticizers.
The lack of availability of raw materials is a major concern associated with bio-butanol production, thus increasing the cost of the product and limiting the growth of the market. In the petrochemical and automotive industries, biobutanol is used as a fuel for internal combustion engines. The carbon emissions from gasoline can be reduced by 85% using bio-butanol.