Methanol is a colorless, volatile liquid that readily evaporates into a sweet-smelling vapor with the chemical formula CH₃OH, consisting of a methyl group bonded to a hydroxyl group. Known as wood alcohol because it was first isolated from wood distillation by Robert Boyle in 1661, methanol is the simplest alcohol and one of the most important industrial chemicals, with global production exceeding 100 million tons annually.

While methanol vapor poses serious health risks – causing blindness and death through metabolic conversion to formaldehyde and formic acid – this versatile compound serves as a crucial building block for plastics, paints, and pharmaceuticals, and increasingly as a cleaner-burning fuel alternative. Its ability to exist as both a polar solvent and a combustible fuel, combined with potential production from renewable sources like captured CO₂, positions methanol at the forefront of sustainable chemistry and energy storage technologies.

Find a review of the 50 most important industrial gases here.

20 Fun Facts About Methanol (Vapor)

Beyond the basics above, what else should we know about Methanol? Check out the 20 fun facts below!

1. Methanol vapor is only 10% heavier than air, dispersing rapidly unlike heavier alcohol vapors that pool dangerously.
2. The vapor forms explosive mixtures with air between 6% and 36% concentration – the widest range of any common alcohol.
3. Racing fuel contains up to 100% methanol because it provides engine cooling through evaporation and burns cleaner than gasoline.
4. Windshield washer fluid releases methanol vapor that can trigger breathalyzer false positives for up to 20 minutes after use.
5. The molecule vibrates 1033, 1455, 2844, and 3681 times per cm⁻¹, creating a unique infrared “fingerprint” for vapor detection.
6. Prohibition-era “moonshine” blindness came from methanol vapor concentrating in the “heads” during distillation.
7. China produces 60% of global methanol, burning 90 million tons of coal annually just for methanol synthesis.
8. Methanol fuel cells generate electricity at 40% efficiency by converting vapor directly without combustion.
9. The vapor pressure doubles every 10°C, reaching dangerous concentrations in closed containers on hot days.
10. Arctic clouds contain methanol vapor from ocean phytoplankton, affecting ice crystal formation and climate patterns.
11. Fire departments can’t see methanol flames in daylight – they burn nearly invisible with a light blue color.
12. Your liver converts methanol to formaldehyde 10 times slower than ethanol to acetaldehyde, causing cumulative poisoning.
13. The International Space Station detected methanol vapor outgassing from Russian modules’ insulation materials.
14. Methanol vapor sensors use tin oxide semiconductors that change resistance 1000-fold at just 50 ppm exposure.
15. Brazil’s flex-fuel vehicles automatically adjust for methanol vapor’s different combustion properties using oxygen sensors.
16. The compound forms azeotropes with 46 different solvents, making pure methanol surprisingly difficult to produce.
17. Volcanic gases contain up to 100 ppm methanol vapor from high-temperature reactions between CO₂, H₂, and minerals.
18. IndyCar engines burn 1.8 gallons of methanol per lap at Indianapolis, creating invisible vapor trails in corners.
19. Biodiesel production releases methanol vapor during transesterification, requiring vapor recovery systems by law.
20. Trees emit 100 million tons of methanol vapor annually through leaf pores, the largest natural atmospheric source.

Thanks for reading!