Heptane is one of the most popular solvents used in laboratories around the world. With a plethora of desirable characteristics, heptane is used as a solvent in a variety of chemical processes. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the uses for this compound and some of its many benefits.
What is Heptane?
Heptane is a popular non-polar solvent, meaning it dissolves other non-polar solvents. This compound is a versatile solvent that is utilized in various industrial, laboratory, and household applications.
The hydrocarbon, derived from petroleum and found in gasoline, is most commonly known as the standard in octane ratings for gasoline. It is also a very common reagent used in labs and in organic synthesis reactions.
What makes this solvent so unique is its insolubility, slow evaporation rate, and low boiling point. Some industrial applications involving this organic solvent include:
- Production and thinning of cement
- Industrial cleaning
- Manufacturing of various inks, such as printer and stamp ink
- Used in vegetable oil extraction
- Production of anesthetics and compounders
Heptane for Oil Extraction
Heptane has long been utilized as a solvent in oil extraction, especially when it comes to oilseed extraction. Common oilseeds extracted with this compound include:
- Rapeseed
- Canola
- Soybean
- Peanuts
The oilseeds are soaked in the solvent in order to separate the oil from the seeds. The oil is then packaged and sold, or used as an additive in many common consumer products.
More recently, it has been seen as a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative to hexane, especially for oil extraction. Hexane is another popular organic solvent found in gasoline and used in many industrial processes. It is more toxic than heptane and presents multiple serious health risks to workers that are consistently exposed to it.
Benefits of Heptane
There are several benefits associated with using this compound in place of toxic solvents like hexane. Here are only a few:
- Low toxicity
- Low density
- Low boiling point
- Insoluble
- Slow evaporation rate
- Relatively inexpensive
- Allows for easy oil recovery
- Causes no significant harm to the environment, unlike hexane, which is a neurotoxin and hazardous air pollutant that can contribute to ozone depletion
Looking for Solvents for Extraction?
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