A pplications
Common Benzene Applications
One of the most important and significant uses of benzene in the chemistry world is its use as a reaction intermediate. Benzene is used in the reactions in order to create ethylbenzene, cyclohexane, nitrobenzene, cumene, and alkylbenzene. However, ethylbenzene is by far the most commonly made chemical that uses benzene as a reaction intermediate. Ethylbenzene is commonly used to make plastics such as polystyrene and EPS.
Another important use for benzene is its presence in gasoline/petrol. Adding benzene to gasoline increases its octane rating. An octane rating is a rating of the effectiveness and performance of fuels. The higher the octane rating, the more it can be compressed before being used and ignited (better performance). Along with this benzene is also used to prevent knocking in gasoline. Knocking is a type of abnormality in the combustion of gasoline that can cause damage to the system. Benzene significantly reduces this.
Before benzene was known to be an active carcinogen, it was used in a variety of products, mostly due to the fact that benzene has a pleasntly sweet smell. For instance, in the 19th century it was commonly used as an after-shave lotion. Along with this, after Ludwig Roselius discovered that it could be used to decaffeinate coffee, Sanka (a company that produced instant, decaffeinated coffe) was created. However, it was also used industrially in the past as a solvent for the degreasing (or removal of fatty acids) of metals. After the discovery of its carcinogenic behavior and general toxicity, these were all phased out for safer compounds.
Benzene is commonly used in both the paint industry and the printing industry for a multitude of purposes. In the printing industry, it is used in mixtures that clean and maintain the printing equipment. Along with this, the ink from the printing machines also contains traces of benzene. In the paint industry, it is found in a variety of liquids and materials that are used in painting. For instance, benzene has a presence in base paints, lacquers, sealers, and stains.
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