Ethanol

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What is ethanol?
Ethanol is an alcohol that can be used as a fuel or solvent,
or as feedstock for processes in the chemical industry.
It is also found in alcoholic drinks, like wine and whisky.

The chemical formula for

ethanol is C2H5OH.

Ethanol can be made by:

 fermentation of plant sugars
 reacting ethene (from crude oil)
with steam.

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Fermentation
Most ethanol is made from renewable resources using
the sugars in plant material. Fermentation converts the
sugars (glucose) into carbon dioxide and ethanol.
yeast
glucose  carbon dioxide + ethanol

The reaction is performed by the

enzymes in yeast when they respire
anaerobically (without oxygen).
Enzymes are natural catalysts.

The ethanol produced in the

reaction is removed from the
mixture and purified by
distillation.
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Making ethanol by fermentation

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Conditions for fermentation
A temperature range of between 25 °C and
50 °C is needed for fermentation to be successful.

 If the temperature is too low, the

yeast will be less active and the
reaction will take place very slowly.
 If the temperature is too high,
the yeast cells are damaged and
eventually killed, bringing the
reaction to an end.

If oxygen is present in the mixture, the yeast will create only

carbon dioxide and water. The ethanol will be oxidized to
form ethanoic acid (which is used to make vinegar).

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True or false?

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Ethene
Alkenes are a family of hydrocarbon compounds with the
general formula CnH2n. Alkenes contain at least one double
covalent bond between carbon atoms.

The simplest alkene is ethene.

It has the formula C2H4.

Ethene can be made from

crude oil by catalytic cracking.
Crude oil is a non-
renewable resource, which
means that one day it will run
out.
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Ethanol from ethene
Ethanol can be made by reacting ethene with steam.
The ethene is mixed with high pressure steam in the
presence of a phosphoric acid catalyst.

phosphoric acid
ethene + water 
catalyst
ethanol

High temperatures and high pressures are needed to drive

this reaction, but the catalyst can make it very quick.

As the only product is ethanol, this reaction is more

efficient than producing ethanol by fermentation. It is a
continuous process – as long as there is enough ethene
and water being provided, ethanol will be produced.

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Advantages and disadvantages

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Glossary

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Producing ethanol

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Multiple-choice quiz

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