ETHANOL-ALCOHOL

ETHANOL

Description
A clear colorless liquid with a sweet smell, ethanol is a protic solvent miscible with water and other liquids making it an ideal solvent in personal care applications. In addition to its solvency power, ethanol can be used as a preservative or an intermediate in personal care applications. The evaporative properties of ethanol impart a cool feel to the skin and provide quick delivery of items, such as polymers, for applications like skin and body care, as well as hair care.

Applications

In the personal care market, ethanol is used in the following applications :
• Perfume
• Cologne and after-shaves
• Hairspray
• Mouthwash
• Body care-splash and sprays
• Nail enamel
• Astringents
• Fluoride toothpaste
• Scalp preparations

Physical Properties
Formula Weight…………………..46.07
Boiling Point (0 C) ……………….78.3
Melting Point ( 0C)………………..-115
Density (20/20 C)…………………0.785
Flash Point (0C/0F)……………….8(48)
Refractive Index (20C)……………1.3614
Dielectric Constant………………..24.3
Evaporation Rate ( nBuAc=100)….170

Fragrances and Colognes.
Denatured ethanol is typically used as a carrier for perfume oils found in fragrances and colognes. Water is commonly used in conjunction with ethanol to help modify the fragrance intensity and to ease skin application. The concentration of ethanol in perfumes and colognes can vary but is typically near 80%.

Hairspray
The most commonly used solvent in hairspray is primarily denatured ethanol. The solvency power ethanol and its quick evaporation rate make it and ideal solvent in this application. Many hairspray formulations contain upwards of 50% ethanol.

Preservative
Ethanol can be used as an antibacterial agent in mouthwashes, nail enamel, and astringents.