IPA: Isopropyl Alcohol 1Gal

The main use for isopropanol (IPA) C3H8O is in solvents with outlets in cosmetics and personal care products, de-icers, paints and resins, pharmaceuticals, food, inks and adhesives. A pharmaceutical grade of IPA allows its use in the preparation of a number of pharmaceutical products such as medicinal tablets as well as disinfectants, sterilisers and skin creams. Little or no growth is expected in solvent applications due to stricter regulations on volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

IPA is used in the extraction and purification of natural products such as vegetable and animal oil and fats. Other applications include its use as a cleaning and drying agent in the manufacture of electronic parts and metals, and as an aerosol solvent in medical and veterinary products. It can also be used as a coolant in beer manufacture, a coupling agent, a polymerisation modifier, a de-icing agent and a preservative.

Some chemical compounds are manufactured from IPA, in particular derivative ketones such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), isopropylamines and isopropyl esters. Here, IPA demand has been growing. However, its use as a raw material in acetone production is declining as more acetone is produced as a byproduct in phenol production by the cumene peroxidation process.