General description

Hexane (n-hexane) is an alkane, that can be obtained from petroleum by distillation. It can also be produced by electrolyzing the potassium butyrate solution. It is widely employed organic solvent for the dissolution and isolation of fats and oils. Its thermodynamic properties and kinetics of thermal decomposition have been studied over a range of temperature. A study on the zeolite supported platinum catalyzed isomerization and aromatization of n-hexane has been reported. Its removal from hexane contaminated air streams using vapor phase biological reactor (VPBR) immobilized with hexane-degrading Aspergillus niger strain has been studied. The metabolism of n-hexane forms 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD), which is reported to induce neurotoxicity.

Application

Hexane may be used in the following studies:

Preparation of graft-copolymer chains of poly-(dimethylsiloxane)-g-poly(methyl methacrylate).
GC/MS characterization of essential oils isolated from various origins.
As solvent for the preparation of samples and standards during chromatographic studies.
To extract free and total gossypol in combination with acetone from cottonseed flakes.

Suitable for HPLC, spectrophotometry, environmental testing