Applications

The vast majority of isopropanol is still used in industrial settings, both as a solvent and as an intermediate. This compound is also a popular ingredient in many disinfectant and personal care products, but household applications represent only a small fraction of overall isopropanol production. Isopropanol can dissolve a wide range of non-polar products. It evaporates quickly leaving no residue and it’s relatively non-toxic when compared to ethanol or other alternative solvents which make it an ideal product to use as a cleaning solution and for dissolving oils. It can also be used for cleaning delicate parts during manufacture of electric and electronic devices, and stain removal in various products, such as fabrics, cotton and wood.

Some examples of small-scale applications

• Cosmetics and personal care products
• Ingredient in paints, inks and resins
• Pharmaceutical tablets
• Extraction and purification processes
• Coolant in beer manufacture
• Coupling agent
• De-icer
• Polymerisation modifier
• Synthetic flavouring adjuvant
• Disinfectant / Sanitiser
• Cleaner