History and Production of Furfural Derivatives Industry

Furfural is an organic compound produced as a byproduct of the processing of lignocellulosic biomass like agriculture residues and wood pulps. Chemically, it is a heterocyclic aldehyde with the formula C5H4O2. Furfural was first synthesized in 1821 by Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner through the acid-catalyzed decomposition of sugar cane bagasse. Nowadays, furfural is produced on an industrial scale through the Quaker batch process where lignocellulosic biomass is treated with aqueous sulfuric acid at high temperature under pressure. The typical reactions involved are acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of carbohydrates followed by dehydration of pentoses like xylose at temperatures between 150-220°C. Worldwide production capacity of furfural is estimated to be around 500,000 tons per year with China being the leading manufacturer.

Applications of Furfural and Derivatives

Furfural Derivatives finds multiple industrial applications. It acts as a selective solvent and can separate aromatics from lighter petroleum fractions through extractive distillation. Furfural is also used as a chemical intermediate in the production of other chemicals like furan, tetrahydrofuran and furoic acid. Some major derivatives of furfural produced on a commercial scale are furfuryl alcohol, furan resins and furanic aldehyde resin. Furfuryl alcohol is used to modify other resins and as a solvent. Furan resins produced from furfural find applications as wood adhesives in plywood, laminates and fiberboard manufacturing industries. Furanic aldehyde resins are thermosetting polymers with excellent corrosion resistance and heat stability used to coat wires. Other niche applications of furfural derivatives include use as intermediates in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food additives and corrosion inhibitors.

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