The Peculiarities And Importance Of Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol or 2-propanol belongs to the organic compounds’ alcohol family and it is a strong and important member of this group. It is synthetic alcohol that was first made to be used commercially. In 1920, chemists of the Standard Oil Company, New Jersey, produced this alcohol as a by-product of petroleum. According to them, it can be easily synthesized by the hydrolysis of sulfuric acid and propylene. Its chemical formula is C3H8O. And, this secondary alcohol has a powerful odor for identification.

Isopropyl alcohol or IPA is a multipurpose, flammable, and volatile product hugely used in multiple industries. It is the primary collection of almost every medicine cabinet of households, mainly because of its anti-bacterial properties. In this article, we are going to explore many other major uses of IPA.

Properties of IPA and its uses:

1. Antiseptic: Being a high proof product of ethanol, it shows awfully antimicrobial nature, and thus it is a widely-used antiseptic. High proof means it should not be consumed. Being an antiseptic, it has a higher concentration and hence it can penetrate the walls of cells and kill the microorganisms in the body. Due to its antiseptic nature, it is used in sanitizers, on the skin before the piercing is performed, etc.

2. Cleaning agent

i) Surface disinfectant: mIt is the antibacterial properties of IPA, due to which it acts as a great surface disinfectant. Thus it is hugely used on the hospital surfaces. It is also used in the surgical hand scrubs. IPA better cleans glass surfaces like mirrors or windows. It is highly volatile and quickly evaporates, hence offers quick cleaning every time.

ii) Household solvent: For a similar reason, IPA is also used in different households for cleaning surfaces. It can also clean lingering bacteria due to its antiseptic nature. Being an active solvent, it can quickly clean stains of oils, grease, and other residues.

iii) Electronic components: To clean various types of electronic equipment, IPA has a great demand. It is mainly because it cleanses components without making any damage or streaks. It can also be used t remove fingerprints from the CDs or DVDs. In its aerosol form, it cleans those complicated geometrics which are difficult to reach for cleaning.

3. Astringent: As an astringent, it is used on the skin to make it smooth-looking by minimizing pores. Thus, it is a regular component in making skin toner formulas. In fact, astringents with IPA-base can stop minor bleeding too.

4. Liniment for muscle aches: As per the Isopropyl alcohol exporters, it is a skin irritant and has drying properties. Hence, it makes good astringent and antiseptic. You should it in small amounts to avoid skin damage. It makes efficient liniment too. Thus, rubbing it on the aching muscles you can get relief in swelling and pain.

5. Swimmer’s ear: Swimmers often get painful infections or impeded hearing due to water getting stuck into their ear canals. Use of IPA can stop it. They should pour a few drops of it into their ears after swimming, and being mixed with water it will create residual moisture that will be quickly evaporated from the ear canals.

Isopropyl alcohol exporter companies supply supreme quality IPA to the market so that users can enjoy the best of benefits from its use.