Where to buy isopropyl alcohol?
- Thread starter ishaw
- Start date
Re:
for people who can't remember their school chemistry, any alcohol (-OH group in an organic chemical compound) will probably have similar solvent characteristics and not too harsh as opposed to brake cleaners and other stuff. The differences are chemical.
ethanol or "alcohol" has 2 carbon atoms, bio variety refers to how produced
meths is ethanol with various additives to stop people drinking it, often 10% methanol (1 carbon atom) which is toxic and plus colour to avoid mistakes
propanol has 3 carbon atoms and, and isopropyl alcohol is a form of propanol where the -OH group is on the middle carbon atom in the chain of 3 (not an end one). Again sometimes it has additives, hence % purity seen. Avoid significant skin contact, as it can be absorbed in large doses.
they will all do similar stuff, and indeed when living in Poland back in the 1990s sometimes used cheap but pure vodka without any flavourings, very good for getting tar spots off the frame
for people who can't remember their school chemistry, any alcohol (-OH group in an organic chemical compound) will probably have similar solvent characteristics and not too harsh as opposed to brake cleaners and other stuff. The differences are chemical.
ethanol or "alcohol" has 2 carbon atoms, bio variety refers to how produced
meths is ethanol with various additives to stop people drinking it, often 10% methanol (1 carbon atom) which is toxic and plus colour to avoid mistakes
propanol has 3 carbon atoms and, and isopropyl alcohol is a form of propanol where the -OH group is on the middle carbon atom in the chain of 3 (not an end one). Again sometimes it has additives, hence % purity seen. Avoid significant skin contact, as it can be absorbed in large doses.
they will all do similar stuff, and indeed when living in Poland back in the 1990s sometimes used cheap but pure vodka without any flavourings, very good for getting tar spots off the frame
I prefer the bio-ethanol to regular denatured Methylated Spirits - mainly down to the smell but also the purple dye can be left as a residue. My main use is as stove fuel & with no chemistry knowledge I know ethanol produces more btu than methanol & I think isopropyl as well. I think it's also more volatile so will evaporate quicker. Daugs can confirm?
Re:
no I think propanol has a higher btu than ethanol, and butanol (4 carbons) is higher still, but still less than petrol. To be honest can't really recall, its over 30 years since I was in a chemistry lab. I think the issue is that Propanol burns rather dirty, ie incomplete combustion with soot etc. Although BTU is not the only factor in some applications, as petrolheads know methanol is a better fuel for race engines as burns cleaner and can burn more so in total get more power = faster even if mpg is less. For stove fuel meths is probably cheaper though ?
no I think propanol has a higher btu than ethanol, and butanol (4 carbons) is higher still, but still less than petrol. To be honest can't really recall, its over 30 years since I was in a chemistry lab. I think the issue is that Propanol burns rather dirty, ie incomplete combustion with soot etc. Although BTU is not the only factor in some applications, as petrolheads know methanol is a better fuel for race engines as burns cleaner and can burn more so in total get more power = faster even if mpg is less. For stove fuel meths is probably cheaper though ?
