Isopropyl alcohol 99%, or IPA 99%, is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinct odor. Cost-effective, HAPs-free and less toxic than methanol, it has long been recognized as a universal solvent. Due to modern manufacturing systems that now produce superior grades of IPA in high yields, expansion in market supply has fueled innovation in water sensitive applications. 

The majority of IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol), is made by hydrating propylene, although it sometimes catalytically converted from acetone. Reversely, IPA can also be a precursor for acetone. Isopropyl Alcohol is the simplest secondary alcohol. Tethered to the middle of the molecule’s three carbons is its lone hydroxyl (-OH) group. Its oxygen has a partial negative charge, while the connecting hydrogen and carbon atoms have partial positive charges, making IPA a polar molecule. Miscible in water, IPA also dissolves a wide range of nonpolar compounds like oils and resins. 

Although the electronics and medical device sectors consume the lion’s share of IPA 99%, it is also an essential process agent in alternate arenas. In this article we will examine some of the top industrial uses for IPA 99% as well as which grade might be appropriate for each.

Disclaimer:  Because IPA is flammable in liquid and vapor form, and is an irritant, appropriate care should always be taken for storage and handling. These chemicals are meant to be used for research, industrial work, cleaning or disinfecting, hence they should be stored appropriately and away from young children and infants. 

3. Coatings

IPA 99% is widely used in the coatings industry as a reagent for producing polymers as well as a dispersion agent for downstream. Intermediates that can be made from it include acetone, glycerol, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and bisphenol A, common precursors for resins and paints (CN102050713A). MIKB, a solvent for surface coatings, can be synthesized by reacting a gaseous mixture of acetone and IPA with hydrogen in the presence of an Aldol condensation catalyst [EP1931615A1]. Methyl methacrylate can be generated by condensing acetone and hydrogen cyanide and then copolymerized in an IPA solution to make acrylic.

IPA 99% is a common diluent for resins and paints. For impregnating cellulosic or fiberglass substrates with resin, IPA 99% might be used to thin saturating mixes to hasten penetration of the polymers into the media, after which it can be flashed off in an oven or left to dry. Because it dissolves uncured polymers, workers might also use it to wash tools, equipment, or spills.