ABSTRACT
Butanol as a higher member of the series of straight chain alcohols contains 4-carbon atoms. Butanol has many advantages including higher content of hydrogen (13.51 wt%) as compared to ethanol (13.04 wt%) and methanol (12.50 wt%), better safety aspects because it is combustible but not flammable like ethanol, lower vapor pressure, greater tolerance to water contamination [5]. Besides, butanol is used as potential biofuel with 85 percent strength in an I.C. engine, as a solvent in various organic synthesis, coating, chemical and textile processes, and as a component of hydraulic and brake fluids. The isomers of butanol and their applications [6] are listed in Table 10.1.
