OBJECTIVE:

To observe some of the fundamental physical and chemical properties of

alkanes.
APPLICATIONS OF ALKANES
Alkanes are organic compounds primarily used as fuels, but their
derivatives can also be found in paints, plastics, cosmetics, cleaners, and
pharmaceuticals. Propane, methane, butane, and ethane are the most basic
alkanes. These are all highly combustible and emit carbon dioxide and water
when burned, making them suitable for use as clean fuels. Alkanes are
hydrocarbons that are made up of only carbon and hydrogen.
The number of carbon atoms in an alkane determines its application.
The first four alkanes are primarily used for heating and cooking but are also
used in some countries for power generation. Natural gas is primarily
composed of methane and ethane, which are generally stored under pressure
in gaseous form. They are, however, easier to transport as liquids, requiring
gas compression and cooling. Propane and butane are gases at atmospheric
pressure that can liquefy at low pressures and are commonly referred to as
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Propane is a fuel used in propane burners and
highway vehicles, while butane is used in space heaters and disposable
cigarette lighters. Both are used as aerosol propellants. Alkanes range in
volatility from pentane to octane. They are used as fuel for internal combustion
engines because they vaporize quickly upon entering the combustion chamber
and do not form liquid droplets, impairing combustion uniformity. Branched
chain alkanes are preferred over linear homologues because they are less prone
to premature ignition, which can result in detonation. The octane number of
the fuel is used to measure this tendency, where 2,2,4-trimethylpentane
(iso-octane) has an arbitrary value of 100 and heptane has a value of 0.
Intermediate alkanes are suitable solvents for nonpolar substances in addition
to being used as fuel.
Furthermore, the cetane number, the old hexadecane name,
distinguishes diesel fuel. However, the higher melting points of these alkanes
can cause issues in polar and low-temperature regions, where the fuel becomes
too thick to flow properly. The most important components of fuel oil and
lubricating oil are alkanes above hexadecane. They also serve as preservatives
in this last function because their hydrophobicity prevents water from reaching
the metal's surface. Many solid alkanes, for example, can be used as paraffin
waxes in candles. This is not to be confused with true waxes, which are
primarily composed of esters. Higher alkanes, on the other hand, have little
value and generally decompose to lower alkanes through cracking. Some
synthetic polymers, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, are paraffins with
hundreds to thousands of carbon atoms in their chains. These materials are
used in a wide range of applications, and billions of kilograms are
manufactured and used each year.
REFERENCE:
Dong, A. (2021, September 30). A Brief Note on Alkanes and its Applications. J Phys Chem Biophys.
https://www.longdom.org/open-access/a-brief-note-on-alkanes-and-its-applications-8453