Grade AA covers most industrial use
Methanol (CH₃OH, CAS 67-56-1) is one of the most standardised industrial chemicals in the world. Grade AA is the reference specification, and unless your process is pharmaceutical or analytical, it is almost certainly what you want.
| Grade | Purity | Controlled against | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade AA | ≥99.85% | ASTM D1152 — water ≤0.1%, acetone ≤30 ppm | Chemical feedstock, coatings, detergents, general solvent |
| Fuel grade | ≥99.5% | Low water, sulphur <1 ppm | Biodiesel transesterification, fuel blending |
| Pharmaceutical | ≥99.8% | BP / USP monograph | API synthesis, pharmaceutical solvent |
| HPLC | ≥99.9% | Ultra-low UV absorbance, low particulates | Chromatography and QC laboratories |
Water content is the parameter that most often matters commercially. Methanol is fully miscible with water, so contamination is invisible, and a load that has picked up moisture in transit or storage will still look perfect. If your process is moisture-sensitive — and most esterification and synthesis routes are — put a water limit on the order and check it on receipt.
Key physical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | CH₃OH |
| CAS number | 67-56-1 |
| Molecular weight | 32.04 g/mol |
| Boiling point | 64.7 °C |
| Flash point | 11 °C — highly flammable |
| Auto-ignition temperature | 470 °C |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.792 g/cm³ |
| Vapour pressure at 20 °C | 127 mmHg — highly volatile |
| Miscibility | Fully miscible with water and most organic solvents |
The toxicity point that changes how you store it
Methanol is the one common industrial solvent where a modest exposure can cause permanent harm. It is metabolised to formic acid, which attacks the optic nerve — blindness and death have followed small ingested quantities. It also absorbs through intact skin, so glove selection is not optional.
- Never decant methanol into unlabelled containers, and never into anything that has held a drink — this is the single most common route to a serious incident
- Use nitrile or butyl gloves and check breakthrough times; methanol permeates thin disposable gloves quickly
- Vapour is invisible and heavier than air, so it collects in pits, sumps and low points
- Provide ventilation at low level as well as high, and monitor confined spaces before entry
- Methanol burns with an almost invisible flame in daylight, which is why fire response training matters specifically for this material
Flammability and storage
- Flash point of 11 °C means methanol produces an ignitable vapour at normal Pakistani room temperature all year round
- Store in a bunded, ventilated, designated flammables area away from ignition sources and oxidising agents
- Bond and earth all containers and equipment during transfer — static discharge is a real ignition source with a solvent this volatile
- Suitable materials — carbon steel, stainless steel, PTFE; avoid aluminium alloys, zinc and galvanised surfaces, and avoid natural rubber seals
- Keep containers sealed; methanol both evaporates and absorbs atmospheric moisture through an open bung
Where it is used, and what that implies for grade
- Chemical feedstock — formaldehyde, acetic acid, MTBE and methylamines; Grade AA is standard
- Biodiesel — transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats, where fuel grade with low water is the requirement
- Detergent and surfactant manufacture, including as a process solvent in LABSA-based formulations
- Paints, coatings and adhesives — as solvent and viscosity modifier
- Pharmaceutical synthesis and chromatography, against BP, USP or HPLC grade
- Antifreeze and de-icing formulations, and as a gas-line dehydrator
What to put on the RFQ
- Grade — "Grade AA, ≥99.85%" rather than "industrial methanol"
- Water content limit, and acetone limit if your process is sensitive to it
- Quantity per delivery and annual volume
- Pack — 200 litre drum, IBC or road tanker — and whether drums are returnable
- Delivery city, plus confirmation that your site has a compliant flammables store and earthing points
- Documentation — batch COA, MSDS, and import records where relevant
What drives the price
- Natural gas pricing, since most methanol worldwide is made by steam reforming of natural gas
- Coal pricing for coal-gasification material, which is a significant share of the traded market
- Grade, with pharmaceutical and HPLC material priced well above Grade AA
- Pack format — bulk tanker is materially cheaper per tonne than drums
- Freight and delivery city, plus the cost of compliant flammable-goods transport
- Exchange rate and duty, since Pakistan is supplied by import
Sourcing considerations in Pakistan
- Methanol is imported, so confirm availability date alongside price and allow for port and clearance time
- It moves as a Class 3 flammable liquid — the vehicle, placarding and driver competence all have to reflect that
- Confirm your storage is licensed and compliant before ordering bulk; flammable storage is regulated and an unprepared site cannot legally receive a tanker
- Where the end use is pharmaceutical, retain the monograph reference and batch certificate for audit