A practical guide to isopropyl alcohol, how the concentrations differ, where it beats a stronger solvent, and how it is supplied, from a US-based distributor.
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA, C3H8O, CAS 67-63-0) is a clear, fast-evaporating secondary alcohol solvent that is miscible with water. It is used for precision cleaning and degreasing, as a process and formulation solvent, and as a drying agent, chiefly in electronics, pharmaceutical, and general industrial manufacturing. Stratus Chemical supplies technical and industrial concentrations in drums, totes, and bulk across the United States.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Propan-2-ol |
| Synonyms | Isopropanol, isopropyl alcohol, 2-propanol, IPA, dimethyl carbinol, sec-propyl alcohol |
| CAS number | 67-63-0 |
| Molecular formula | C3H8O |
| Molecular weight | 60.10 g/mol |
| EC / EINECS | 200-661-7 |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Boiling point | Approximately 82.6 °C |
| Water solubility | Miscible |
| Grades supplied | Technical / industrial concentrations |
| Packaging | Drums, totes, bulk |
| Documentation | COA & SDS provided on request |
Certificates of analysis are provided with each shipment. Tell us the concentration and volume you need and we will confirm what is available.
The figures below are representative of high-purity anhydrous grade isopropyl alcohol. They are indicative rather than guaranteed: specifications vary by source and by lot, and the certificate of analysis for your material governs.
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear and free of suspended matter |
| Color, Pt-Co | 10 max |
| Isopropanol, wt. % | 99.96 min |
| Water, wt. % | 0.1 max |
| Acidity as acetic acid, wt. % | 0.001 max |
| Initial boiling point at 101.3 kPa | Typically 82.0 °C |
| Dry point at 101.3 kPa | Typically 83.0 °C |
| Density at 20 °C | Typically 0.784 – 0.786 |
| Refractive index nD20 | 1.376 – 1.378 |
| Nonvolatile matter, mg/100 mL | 1 max |
Lower concentrations are supplied by dilution of this grade. Tell us the concentration you need and we will confirm availability.
Isopropyl alcohol is the simplest secondary alcohol, produced commercially by the hydration of propylene. It is a clear liquid with a sharp alcoholic odor, boiling at roughly 82.6 °C, and it mixes with water in all proportions as well as with most common organic solvents.
Two properties account for nearly all of its industrial use. It evaporates quickly and cleanly, leaving very little residue behind. And it is miscible with water, so it will carry away both oily soils and water-based contamination in the same wipe. That combination is why it became the default cleaning solvent for work where the surface has to be left genuinely bare.
Isopropyl alcohol is supplied across a range of concentrations, with the balance being water. The concentration is not a quality grade; it is a functional choice, and picking the wrong one is a common and avoidable problem.
High-concentration material, generally 99% and above, is what cleaning work calls for. Less water means faster evaporation, less residue, and less risk to moisture-sensitive assemblies. This is the grade used for electronics, optics, and surface preparation ahead of bonding or coating.
Diluted grades near 70% behave differently. The water content slows evaporation and, in disinfection applications, is what makes the alcohol effective against microorganisms, because water is needed to carry the alcohol through the cell wall rather than simply denaturing the surface. Higher is not better for that duty. Note that any product making a disinfectant claim in the United States is a regulated product in its own right; specify accordingly.
The largest single use. Electronics manufacturers use isopropyl alcohol to remove flux residues, handling oils, and particulates from boards and components. Optics and instrument manufacturers use it for the same reason: it lifts contamination and evaporates without leaving a film that would show up as haze.
Before an adhesive, coating, or paint goes down, the substrate has to be free of oils that would compromise the bond. Isopropyl alcohol is the standard wipe solvent for this because it removes light contamination without attacking most plastics, cured coatings, or elastomers the way a stronger solvent would.
In chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, isopropyl alcohol serves as a reaction solvent, a crystallization and washing solvent, and an extraction medium. In formulated products it works as a carrier, a viscosity modifier, and a coupling agent that keeps water-based and oil-based components in a single phase.
Because it is miscible with water and evaporates faster than water does, isopropyl alcohol is used to displace water from parts after aqueous cleaning, and as a drying agent where trapped moisture would cause corrosion or interfere with a downstream step.
| Solvent | Where it wins | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Isopropyl alcohol | Fast, low-residue cleaning that is gentle on plastics, coatings, and elastomers; miscible with water | Not aggressive enough for heavy grease, cured resins, or most adhesives |
| Acetone | Dissolves resins, uncured adhesives, and heavy residues that alcohols leave behind | Attacks many plastics and coatings, evaporates very fast, lower flash point |
| Denatured ethanol | Similar cleaning profile to IPA, sometimes lower cost depending on market | Denaturant may leave residue; tax and regulatory handling differs by jurisdiction |
| Aqueous detergent cleaning | No flammability, no solvent vapor exposure, low cost per part | Requires rinse and dry stages, longer cycle, and can leave water in tight assemblies |
How to choose: start with isopropyl alcohol and escalate only if the residue survives it. The reason is compatibility, not solvency. Acetone will clean more, but it will also craze polycarbonate, soften ABS, and lift paint, and on an assembled part that damage is discovered after the fact. Where a process runs continuously and flammability handling is the dominant cost, aqueous cleaning is often the better economic answer even though the cycle is longer. See our acetone guide for the stronger-solvent side of that comparison.
Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable liquid. Its flash point sits around 12 °C, which means that at ordinary room temperature the liquid is already giving off an ignitable vapor. This is the single most important handling fact about the product and the one most often underestimated because the material seems familiar.
Store in closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area designated for flammable liquids, away from heat, sparks, open flame, and strong oxidizing agents. Vapor is heavier than air and will collect in low points and travel along the floor to a remote ignition source. Bond and ground containers before transferring, since flowing solvent generates static.
For exposure, use adequate ventilation and follow the respiratory and eye protection specified in the Safety Data Sheet. Prolonged skin contact defats the skin. Confirm all handling requirements against the SDS for the specific grade before use.
Isopropyl alcohol is used as a cleaning and degreasing solvent, a process solvent in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, a drying agent, and a carrier or diluent in formulated products. Its largest industrial uses are precision cleaning of electronics and optics, surface preparation before bonding or coating, and equipment cleaning in regulated manufacturing. Stratus Chemical supplies isopropyl alcohol in technical and industrial concentrations across the United States.
The CAS number for isopropyl alcohol is 67-63-0. Its molecular formula is C3H8O and its molecular weight is 60.10 g/mol. Its EC number is 200-661-7. It is also known as isopropanol, 2-propanol, propan-2-ol, IPA, and dimethyl carbinol.
The difference is water content, and it changes what the product is good at. High-concentration IPA around 99% evaporates fast and leaves minimal residue, which is what precision cleaning and electronics work require. Diluted grades near 70% evaporate more slowly and contain enough water to act as a disinfectant, because the water helps the alcohol penetrate cell walls rather than simply fixing the surface. For solvent cleaning, higher concentration is generally better; for surface disinfection, it is not.
They are related but not identical. Rubbing alcohol is a consumer product, usually a diluted isopropyl alcohol solution that may contain added water, denaturants, or other ingredients, and it is sold under pharmacopeial or over-the-counter standards. Industrial isopropyl alcohol is the solvent itself, supplied to a technical specification. Do not substitute one for the other in a regulated process without confirming the specification.
Acetone is the stronger solvent and removes heavier residues, uncured resins, and many adhesives that isopropyl alcohol will not touch. Isopropyl alcohol is gentler, is far less likely to attack plastics, painted surfaces, and elastomers, and is miscible with water, which makes it the safer default for cleaning assembled or coated parts. The usual rule is to try isopropyl alcohol first and move to acetone only when the residue demands it.
Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable liquid with a flash point around 12 °C, meaning it produces an ignitable vapor at normal room temperature. Store it in closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated flammable-storage area away from heat, sparks, and open flame, and bond and ground containers when transferring. Vapor is heavier than air and can travel to a distant ignition source. Follow the Safety Data Sheet for the specific grade.
A representative high-purity anhydrous grade runs isopropanol at 99.96% minimum by weight, water at 0.1% maximum, acidity as acetic acid at 0.001% maximum, color at 10 Pt-Co maximum, and nonvolatile matter at 1 mg/100 mL maximum, with a typical initial boiling point of 82.0 °C and density of 0.784 to 0.786 at 20 °C. Specifications vary by source and lot, so confirm against the certificate of analysis for the material you are quoted.
Stratus Chemical supplies isopropyl alcohol in drums, totes, and bulk, in technical and industrial concentrations, with a certificate of analysis and Safety Data Sheet provided on request. Tell us the concentration, volume, and delivery point and we will confirm pricing and availability within one business day.
Need a stronger solvent? See acetone, or compare with propylene glycol for lower-volatility carrier applications. Looking for something else? Browse all products or request a quote.
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