Editing Sorbitol (section)

===Miscellaneous uses===
A mixture of sorbitol and [[potassium nitrate]] has found some success as an [[amateur rocketry|amateur]] solid [[rocket fuel]]. It has similar performance to sucrose-based [[rocket candy]], but is easier to cast, less hygroscopic and does not [[caramelization|caramelize]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nakka |first=Richard  |title=KNSB Propellant |url=http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/sorb.html |access-date=12 July 2015 |website=nakka-rocketry.net}}</ref>

Sorbitol is identified as a potential key chemical intermediate<ref>{{cite journal
| last1 = Metzger | first1 = Jürgen O.
| title = Production of Liquid Hydrocarbons from Biomass
| doi = 10.1002/anie.200502895
| pmid = 16374789
| journal = Angewandte Chemie International Edition
| volume = 45
| issue = 5
| pages = 696–698
| year = 2006
}}</ref> for production of fuels from [[biomass]] resources. [[Carbohydrate]] fractions in biomass such as [[cellulose]] undergo sequential [[hydrolysis]] and [[hydrogenation]] in the presence of metal catalysts to produce sorbitol.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Shrotri|first=Abhijit|author2=Tanksale, Akshat |author3=Beltramini, Jorge Norberto |author4=Gurav, Hanmant |author5= Chilukuri, Satyanarayana V. |title=Conversion of cellulose to polyols over promoted nickel catalysts|journal=Catalysis Science & Technology|year=2012|volume=2|issue=9|pages=1852–1858|doi=10.1039/C2CY20119D}}</ref> Complete reduction of sorbitol opens the way to [[alkane]]s, such as [[hexane]], which can be used as a [[biofuel]]. Hydrogen required for this reaction can be produced by aqueous phase [[catalytic reforming]] of sorbitol.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tanksale|first=Akshat|author2=Beltramini, Jorge Norberto |author3=Lu, GaoQing Max |title=A review of catalytic hydrogen production processes from biomass|journal=Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews|year=2010|volume=14|issue=1|pages=166–182|doi=10.1016/j.rser.2009.08.010|bibcode=2010RSERv..14..166T }}</ref>

:19 C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>14</sub>O<sub>6</sub> → 13 C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>14</sub> + 36 CO<sub>2</sub> + 42 H<sub>2</sub>O

The above [[chemical reaction]] is [[exothermic reaction|exothermic]], and 1.5 [[mole (unit)|mole]]s of sorbitol generate approximately 1 mole of [[hexane]]. When hydrogen is co-fed, no [[carbon dioxide]] is produced.

Sorbitol based polyols are used in the production of [[polyurethane]] foam for the construction industry.

It is also added after [[electroporation]] of yeasts in transformation protocols, allowing the cells to recover by raising the [[Osmotic concentration|osmolarity]] of the medium.