Dimethylfuran

Dimethylfuran, 2,5-Dimethylfuran (sometimes referred to as 2.5 DMF, should not be confused with DMF - dimethylformamide ) is a heterocyclic compound derived from furan with the formula (CH 3) 2 C 4 H 2 O. It has a caramel smell and is used as food flavoring .

2.5 dimethylfuran is obtained from biomass . The substance can be obtained directly from plants and fruits, cellulose, as well as glucose. This simple substance is a potential type of biofuel. It can be used as an organic solvent . As biofuel it is more effective than ethanol , since it has a 40% higher energy density . The compound has great potential as biofuels , since the substance contains a higher concentration of energy than other types of biofuels, such as bioethanol and is on a par with ordinary gasoline . The substance is chemically stable - insoluble in water, does not absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

Methods of obtaining substances from conventional carbohydrates , such as fructose and glucose , which are found in large quantities in plants, have been developed in recent years.

The stoichiometric air / fuel ratio of dimethylfuran is 10.72, compared to ethanol at 8.95 and gasoline at 14.56. This means that burning dimethylfuran requires about 33% less air than the same amount of gasoline, but about 20% more air than the same amount of ethanol.

The calorific value of liquid dimethylfuran is 33.7 MJ / kg, compared with 26.9 MJ / kg for ethanol and 43.2 MJ / kg of gasoline. octane number (RON) 119. The latent heat of vaporization at 20 ° C is 31.91 kJ / mol. Recent tests of a single-cylinder gasoline engine have shown that the thermal efficiency of dimethylfuran burning is similar to that of gasoline.

Comparison of safety data sheets shows that handling 2.5-dimethylfuran is about as dangerous for humans as it is for working with gasoline.