Furfuryl alcohol is clear colorless organic liquid having a furan substituted with a hydroxymethyl group. It is primarily used for the synthesis of furans resins which are used in thermoset polymer matrix composites, cements, adhesive and coatings. It plays an essential role in the production of foundry sand binder and has long been used to produce cores and molds for metal casting. Other applications include as a fuel and wood treatment. In industry, it is manufactured through either direct reduction of furfural, or through the disproportionation via the Cannizaro reaction in NaOH solution. The basic raw materials for its manufacturing are waste vegetable materials such as rice hulls, sugar cane bagasse, oat hulls or corncobs.
