Butanol, a 4-carbon alcohol (butyl alcohol), is generally used as an industrial solvent in products such as lacquers and enamels. However, it can also be blended with gasoline and used as a transportation fuel. Butanol is commonly produced using fossil fuels, but it can also be produced from biomass, in which case it is called biobutanol. Biobutanol is produced from the same feedstocks as ethanol—corn, sugar beets, and other types of biomass. Biobutanol is considered a renewable fuel and qualifies under the Renewable Fuel Standard; the category it falls under depends on the feedstock used to produce it. Butyl Alcohol has a specific gravity of .81.
HDPE is the most economical tank material for Butyl Alcohol, rated Excellent. Polypropylene and PVDF (Kynar®) are also rated Good or better. Avoid nylon tanks. Rated Fair (contact us before use): Buna-N gaskets.
How Butyl Alcohol works with the plastics used to make our storage tanks.
| Material | Rating |
|---|---|
| HDPE | |
| Polypropylene | |
| Nylon | |
| PVDF (Kynar®) |
How Butyl Alcohol works with the plastics used for tank fittings.
| Material | Rating |
|---|---|
| HDPE | |
| PVC | |
| CPVC | |
| Polypropylene | |
| PVDF |
How Butyl Alcohol works with gasket and O-ring materials.
| Material | Rating |
|---|---|
| Buna-N | |
| EPDM | |
| Viton® |
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