Choose the grade by what you are removing
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA, 2-propanol, C₃H₈O, CAS 67-63-0) is supplied across a wide purity range. The deciding question is what the residue tolerance of your application is.
| Grade | Purity | Controlled against | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical | ≥99.0% | ASTM, standard impurity profile | Cleaning, paint thinners, adhesives, general solvent |
| Pharmaceutical | ≥99.5% | BP / USP monograph | API synthesis, GMP surface disinfection |
| Food (FCC) | ≥99.5% | FCC specification | Food equipment sanitation, flavour extraction |
| Electronic (UHP) | ≥99.9% | ppb-level metals, ultra-low particulates | PCB assembly, wafer cleaning |
| Disinfectant | 70% in water | Pre-diluted | Hospital and pharmaceutical surface disinfection |
Electronic grade is the one where the price gap looks unjustifiable until you understand it. The assay difference between 99.5% and 99.9% is trivial; the difference in metallic impurities is several orders of magnitude, and trace metals are exactly what ruins a printed circuit board or a wafer.
Key physical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | C₃H₈O |
| CAS number | 67-63-0 |
| Molecular weight | 60.10 g/mol |
| Boiling point | 82.5 °C |
| Flash point | 11.7 °C — highly flammable |
| Auto-ignition temperature | 399 °C |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.786 g/cm³ |
| Vapour pressure at 20 °C | 43.3 mmHg |
| Explosive limits in air | 2.0–12.7% v/v |
Why 70% is the disinfection standard
| Concentration | Antimicrobial effect |
|---|---|
| 50% | Moderate, slower kill |
| 60–70% | Optimal — best balance of penetration and contact time |
| 70–80% | Excellent — the hospital and pharmaceutical standard |
| 90–99% | Reduced — evaporates before adequate contact |
| Anhydrous | Lowest — dehydrates the cell surface without penetrating |
Contact time is the parameter that gets skipped. IPA evaporates fast, and a surface wiped and immediately dried has not been disinfected — it has been cleaned. These are the working figures for controlled environments.
| Application | Concentration | Minimum contact time |
|---|---|---|
| Cleanroom surface wipe | 70% | 30 seconds |
| Equipment sanitation | 70% | 30–60 seconds |
| Vial and ampoule exterior | 70% | 15–30 seconds |
| Hand sanitisation | 60–70% | 20 seconds of rubbing |
Where it is used, and what that implies for grade
- Pharmaceutical and cleanroom disinfection — 70% at pharmaceutical grade, often supplied sterile-filtered for aseptic areas
- Electronics manufacture — flux residue removal and precision cleaning, requiring electronic grade for its low metals content
- Printing — roller and blanket cleaning, and as a fountain solution additive
- Coatings and adhesives — solvent and viscosity modifier, where technical grade is adequate
- Laboratory use — general cleaning, and as a chromatography solvent at higher grades
- Chemical intermediate, including as a feedstock for acetone production
What to put on the RFQ
- Grade and concentration — "70% IPA, pharmaceutical grade" or "99.5% technical", never just "IPA"
- Metals limits where the application is electronic
- Water content where the application is a moisture-sensitive solvent duty
- Whether sterile-filtered or double-bagged presentation is required for cleanroom entry
- Quantity per delivery and annual volume
- Pack — drum, IBC, or smaller containers for cleanroom use — and whether returnable
- Delivery city and confirmation of compliant flammable storage
Storage and handling
- Flash point of 11.7 °C means ignitable vapour is present at ambient temperature year-round in Pakistan
- Store bunded and ventilated in a designated flammables area, away from oxidising agents
- Bond and earth containers during transfer
- Suitable materials — stainless steel, carbon steel, HDPE, PTFE; avoid natural rubber and some elastomer seals
- Keep containers closed; IPA is hygroscopic and picks up atmospheric moisture, which matters for anhydrous solvent duty
What drives the price
- Propylene pricing, since most IPA is made by propylene hydration
- Grade — electronic grade carries a large premium over technical, driven by purification and packaging, not assay
- Demand shocks: IPA pricing is unusually sensitive to public health events, which drive sudden sanitiser demand
- Pack format, with cleanroom-compatible presentation costing more than plain drums
- Freight, flammable-goods transport, and delivery city
- Exchange rate and duty, as Pakistan is supplied by import
Sourcing considerations in Pakistan
- IPA is imported, so confirm availability alongside price, and expect tighter supply and firmer pricing during sanitiser demand spikes
- It moves as a Class 3 flammable liquid and needs compliant transport and storage
- For cleanroom use, confirm the presentation as well as the grade — bulk drums cannot enter a controlled area without transfer, which introduces contamination risk
- For pharmaceutical use, retain the monograph reference and batch certificate for audit