what's in rubbing alcohol?

[Rallispec]

in my 'experimenting' earlier today with rubbing alcohol and candles--- i noticed that burning rubbing alcohol leaves behind liquid that does not burn.
sure enough, on the bottle it says that its only 70% alcohol--- so what does that make the other 30%? water?

 

[ElFenix]

water

 

[Hammer]

water

 

[waylman]

yeah, water. some other stuff too it seems....... Denatonium Benzoate , Methyl Isobutyl Ketone whatever that is

 

[Konigin]

alcohol? but I'm just guessing....

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
water

yeah thats what i figured... i wonder why it doesnt list it on the bottle i have.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Rallispec

Originally posted by: ElFenix
water

yeah thats what i figured... i wonder why it doesnt list it on the bottle i have.

Because water is not an active ingredient

 

[Sundog]

carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
(CH3)2 CHOH



or in layman's terms: Isopropyl Alcohol and Water

 

[Windogg]

Be careful, I hear almost all companies use dihydrogen monoxide as filler in rubbing alcohol. The stuff can kill you if inhaled. I personally use 91% rubbing alcohol to minimize my expose to other non essential ingredients. Also makes a hell of a flame.

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: Konigin
alcohol? but I'm just guessing....

It's also part rubbing.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Sundog
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
(CH3)2 CHOH



or in layman's terms: Isopropyl Alcohol and Water

K, I see the isopropyl alcohol, where's the water?

 

[Sundog]

Originally posted by: Windogg
Be careful, I hear almost all companies use Dihydrogen Monoxide as filler in rubbing alcohol. The stuff can kill you if inhaled. I personally use 91% rubbing alcohol to minimize my expose to other non essential ingredients. Also makes a hell of a flame.

Ummm...yeah! Nice fancy term there! BTW you do not need to capitalize chemicals for proper nomenclature.

 

[Sundog]

.

 

[Windogg]

Originally posted by: Sundog

Originally posted by: Windogg
Be careful, I hear almost all companies use Dihydrogen Monoxide as filler in rubbing alcohol. The stuff can kill you if inhaled. I personally use 91% rubbing alcohol to minimize my expose to other non essential ingredients. Also makes a hell of a flame.

Ummm...yeah! Nice fancy term there! BTW you do not need to capitalize chemicals for proper nomenclature.

Duly noted and corrected.

BTW, I started a "Kick the Habit" campaign at work. All the smokers are on edge since I started putting a few ounces of 91% into the outdoor ashtray. Sometime I use the wintergreen scented stuff to make sure the air is fresh. You can always tell at night when someone is putting out a butt when there is a giant flash followed by "HOLY **p00p***"

 

[Sundog]

Originally posted by: Windogg

Originally posted by: Sundog

Originally posted by: Windogg
Be careful, I hear almost all companies use Dihydrogen Monoxide as filler in rubbing alcohol. The stuff can kill you if inhaled. I personally use 91% rubbing alcohol to minimize my expose to other non essential ingredients. Also makes a hell of a flame.

Ummm...yeah! Nice fancy term there! BTW you do not need to capitalize chemicals for proper nomenclature.

Duly noted and corrected.

BTW, I started a "Kick the Habit" campaign at work. All the smokers are on edge since I started putting a few ounces of 91% into the outdoor ashtray. Sometime I use the wintergreen scented stuff to make sure the air is fresh. You can always tell at night when someone is putting out a butt when there is a giant flash followed by "HOLY **p00p***"

LOL

 

[NogginBoink]

This thread reminds me of the Christmas party that the hospital lab had.

They spiked the punch with absolute ethanol from the lab.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Er.. not really trying to bust them, but you can have 100% Isoprop and no water. That -OH is what makes it an alcohol. In reality the -OH group attracts water forming a binary azeotrope at about 87 percent, IIRC. You get to 30 percent by adding sufficient H2O to make a 70 percent solution.


Like I said, not trying to bust them, but that 30 percent is really water, not hydrogen and oxygen from the alcohol. It may be that I misunderstand what you are saying though.

 

[BigPoppa]

Rubbing alcohol - alcohol = Rubbing.

Next?

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: BigPoppa
Rubbing alcohol - alcohol = Rubbing.

Next?

Good to know. I need some rubbing.

 

[Howard]

If you have a blackout in your area, pour >99.9% rubbing alcohol in a metal cup that won't fall over, and light it (do it from a distance you idiots ). Makes a heck of a lot more light than a simple wax candle, and I'm pretty sure it burns cleaner too.

 

[Sundog]

Originally posted by: Howard
If you have a blackout in your area, pour >99.9% rubbing alcohol in a metal cup that won't fall over, and light it (do it from a distance you idiots ). Makes a heck of a lot more light than a simple wax candle, and I'm pretty sure it burns cleaner too.

I think the problem with that is most people do not have IPA that is >97%. And also how long would the flame remain lit?

 

[rgwalt]

It is mainly water, but there are other chemicals present there as a results of the manufacturing process that likely couldn't be separated out. The organics will typically burn off with the alcohol.

Ryan

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: Windogg

Originally posted by: Sundog

Originally posted by: Windogg
Be careful, I hear almost all companies use Dihydrogen Monoxide as filler in rubbing alcohol. The stuff can kill you if inhaled. I personally use 91% rubbing alcohol to minimize my expose to other non essential ingredients. Also makes a hell of a flame.

Ummm...yeah! Nice fancy term there! BTW you do not need to capitalize chemicals for proper nomenclature.

Duly noted and corrected.

BTW, I started a "Kick the Habit" campaign at work. All the smokers are on edge since I started putting a few ounces of 91% into the outdoor ashtray. Sometime I use the wintergreen scented stuff to make sure the air is fresh. You can always tell at night when someone is putting out a butt when there is a giant flash followed by "HOLY **p00p***"

How about a "Get Sued For Doing Stupid Crap Like This" campaign? I'm an ex-smoker, and I'm not saying that it was a good habit that does no harm, but your idea is just DUMB. How is putting rubbing alcohol in the ashtray going to make people stop smoking? Someone's probably going to get burned eventually and who's going to take the fall for that? You, more than likely.

You're probably just going to encourage them to stub their cigarettes out on the ground or throw them into the bushes/parking lot/etc. Try putting a picture of a smoker's lung up by the ashtray or something.