The flash point governs the whole operation
Acetone (C₃H₆O, CAS 67-64-1) ignites below room temperature and evaporates faster than almost any solvent in common industrial use. Its vapour pressure of 246 mmHg at 20 °C is roughly twice that of methanol and eight times that of toluene.
- Ignitable vapour is present at all times, in all seasons, everywhere in Pakistan
- Vapour is heavier than air and accumulates in pits, sumps and low points
- Static discharge is a credible ignition source — bond and earth every container and every transfer line
- Open handling wastes material quickly through evaporation as well as creating a hazard
- Store bunded, ventilated, away from oxidising agents, and never near heat sources or electrical equipment that is not rated for the area
Key physical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | C₃H₆O |
| CAS number | 67-64-1 |
| Molecular weight | 58.08 g/mol |
| Boiling point | 56.1 °C |
| Flash point | −20 °C — extremely flammable |
| Auto-ignition temperature | 465 °C |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.791 g/cm³ |
| Vapour pressure at 20 °C | 246 mmHg — very high |
| Explosive limits in air | 2.6–12.8% v/v |
Grades and what separates them
| Grade | Purity | Controlled against | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical | ≥99.5% | Water ≤0.2%, standard profile | Solvents, thinners, cleaning, adhesives |
| Pharmaceutical | ≥99.5–99.8% | BP / USP / EP monograph | API synthesis, GMP cleaning |
| Food (FCC) | ≥99.5% | FCC, low aldehyde | Flavour extraction, food-contact cleaning |
| Electronic (UHP) | ≥99.9% | ppb metals, ultra-low particulates | PCB and wafer cleaning |
| Reagent (ACS) | ≥99.5% | ACS — UV cutoff, colour, residue | Laboratory and analytical work |
A typical technical specification worth writing onto a purchase order looks like this, and it gives you something concrete to check a certificate against.
| Parameter | Typical specification |
|---|---|
| Purity | ≥99.5% v/v |
| Water content | ≤0.3% |
| Aldehydes (as acetaldehyde) | ≤30 ppm |
| Non-volatile residue | ≤5 mg/100 mL |
| Peroxide (as H₂O₂) | ≤20 ppm |
| Colour (Pt-Co scale) | ≤10 |
Non-volatile residue is the parameter that matters most
Acetone is bought overwhelmingly as a cleaning and degreasing solvent, and what defines a good cleaning solvent is what it leaves behind. Non-volatile residue is the number that predicts whether a cleaned surface will be genuinely clean once the acetone has flashed off.
- For surface preparation before painting, bonding or coating, residue is the specification that decides adhesion
- Colour on the Pt-Co scale is a useful proxy for contamination and is cheap to check on receipt
- Peroxide content is worth naming — acetone can form peroxides on long storage, particularly with exposure to air and light
- Never distil or evaporate old acetone to dryness; concentrated peroxides are shock-sensitive
- Rotate stock and do not hold opened containers indefinitely
Where it is used, and what that implies for grade
- Surface cleaning and degreasing before coating, bonding or inspection — technical grade, with residue the key parameter
- Paints, coatings and adhesives — solvent and viscosity modifier, and a component of thinner blends
- Pharmaceutical manufacture — crystallisation, extraction and equipment cleaning, against BP or USP grade
- Electronics — flux and residue removal, requiring electronic grade
- Chemical feedstock — bisphenol A, methyl methacrylate, MIBK and other derivatives
- Laboratory glassware cleaning and analytical work
What to put on the RFQ
- Grade — "technical, ≥99.5%" or the relevant monograph
- Non-volatile residue limit, which is the parameter that most affects cleaning performance
- Water content and peroxide limits
- Quantity per delivery and annual volume
- Pack — drum, IBC or tanker — and whether returnable
- Delivery city and confirmation of a compliant, ventilated flammables store with earthing
- Documentation — batch COA, MSDS and import records
What drives the price
- Phenol demand, which is the unusual factor here — most acetone is a coproduct of phenol manufacture via the cumene process, so acetone availability tracks phenol production rather than acetone demand
- Propylene and benzene feedstock costs
- Grade, with electronic and pharmaceutical material well above technical
- Pack format and evaporation losses in handling, which are real at this volatility
- Flammable-goods freight and delivery city
- Exchange rate and duty, since Pakistan is supplied by import
Sourcing considerations in Pakistan
- Acetone is imported and its availability is tied to global phenol production, so supply can tighten for reasons unrelated to acetone demand
- It is a Class 3 flammable liquid with a flash point well below ambient — transport and storage compliance is not negotiable
- Confirm your flammables store is licensed and earthed before ordering bulk
- Check delivery packaging integrity carefully; acetone finds every weakness in a seal, and losses in transit show up as short weight