diy rubbing alcohol

[appendix]

is it possible to produce rubbing alcohol from alcoholic beverages?

[hypervalent_iodine]

Rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) is not the same as the alcohol in the stuff you drink (ethanol). So, no. 

[25007]

True.

[John Cuthber]

On 3/13/2020 at 12:18 AM, hypervalent_iodine said:

Rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) is not the same as the alcohol in the stuff you drink (ethanol). So, no. 

Unless it isn't.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol

[MigL]

Did not know this, but a lot of disinfectant gels use ethanol, not methanol or isopropanol.
As a matter of fact, a whole lot of disinfectants recently got recalled because they used industrial grade ethanol instead of food grade ethanol.
What, are people drinking the stuff now ?

[John Cuthber]

Methanol (Used to denature industrial alcohol) is toxic by skin absorption.

So, you don't need to drink it for it to be a potential problem.
On the other hand:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol_toxicity#Treatment

Also, at the moment
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2020/03/the-distilleries-and-breweries-and-drinks-groups-making-hand-sanitiser/

 

[AllMyFriendsAreDangerous]

Ethanol is just as good of a disinfectant as rubbing alcohol, so why bother? Assuming it was for disinfectant purposes anyhow...

As for homemade disinfectants, you could also try electrolyzing salt and making your own bleach! 

When SHTF, you are better off making your own moonshine and using that to sanitize things. And for using alcohol to disinfect things, you dont want the super concentrated variety. Many people go straight for the 91% isopropyl. The best concentration for killing germs in in the high 60's to low 70's as the water prevents the alcohol from evaporating immediately. It takes a moment for alcohol to do its thing, so if you rub 91% on something, its likely to evaporate before it penetrates into crevices and do its thing. You'll know its the right concentration when it feels slippery compared to the 91%.

All of this is moot anyhow as the stores are back in supply of these things.

Of course you can make isopropyl out of ethyl alcohol, you just won't find anyone doing it at home. Make your ethanol anhydrous by azeotropic distillation with benzene then pass the ethanol vapors over a hot copper catalyst in a ceramic tube (not heating the tube till you purge the tube with ethanol vapor to remove oxygen lol) and pass the resulting acetaldehyde/H2 vapor into an ether/THF solution of methyl lithium and hydrolyze then distill the addition product lol. You can make it out of acetone too via the Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction. Acetone is an industrial byproduct of phenol production and is widely available. You can also make acetone using chalk and vinegar, but why bother... This all will cost you WAY more to make than to buy, unless it is the experience you are paying for.

[studiot]

17 hours ago, AllMyFriendsAreDangerous said:

Ethanol is just as good of a disinfectant as rubbing alcohol, so why bother? Assuming it was for disinfectant purposes anyhow...

Preparations vary in their disinfectant capabilities. Contact time is also an important factor.

Alcohols are substantially less effective viricidal agents than bactericidal.

Many studies have been conducted.

Here is a good reliable summary one from Stanford & Virginia Universities.

https://ehs.stanford.edu/reference/comparing-different-disinfectants