Storing denatured alcohol at home

[big_shlomi]

I recently bought a home chemistry lab and I need to use denatured alcohol for the burner. 1. What type of alcohol is best suited for this (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl, etc.)? And after buying the alcohol what would be the best and safest way to store it without worrying about the flammable vapors in my house

[exchemist]

1 hour ago, big_shlomi said:

I recently bought a home chemistry lab and I need to use denatured alcohol for the burner. 1. What type of alcohol is best suited for this (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl, etc.)? And after buying the alcohol what would be the best and safest way to store it without worrying about the flammable vapors in my house

In the UK the standard material is methylated spirits. This is mainly ethanol but with addition of methanol and methyl violet dye, to make it recognisable and unsuitable to drink. Just keep it in the screw capped bottle you buy it in and it will be safe. The vapour from small amounts of ethanol at room temperature is not going to create an explosive atmosphere. Something like methylated spirits is available in other countries too, I believe. 

[StringJunky]

2 minutes ago, exchemist said:

In the UK the standard material is methylated spirits. This is mainly ethanol but with addition of methanol and methyl violet dye, to make it recognisable and unsuitable to drink. Just keep it in the screw capped bottle you buy it in and it will be safe. The vapour from small amounts of ethanol at room temperature is not going to create an explosive atmosphere. Something like methylated spirits is available in other countries too, I believe. 

Is 99% IPA ok in those, or is it too volatile for that?

[exchemist]

8 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

Is 99% IPA ok in those, or is it too volatile for that?

Vapour pressure of IPA is less than ethanol so should be OK too.

I’m not sure what people use meths for nowadays. It used to be used in those glass coffee percolators that had a spirit burner. My grandmother had one. But they went out decades ago. 

[StringJunky]

25 minutes ago, exchemist said:

Vapour pressure of IPA is less than ethanol so should be OK too.

I’m not sure what people use meths for nowadays. It used to be used in those glass coffee percolators that had a spirit burner. My grandmother had one. But they went out decades ago. 

I used it for my Mamod traction engine in the 70's. Not seen it for a long time.

[chenbeier]

Methylated spiritus, the same what is used for camping cooler.

[big_shlomi]

15 hours ago, chenbeier said:

Methylated spiritus, the same what is used for camping cooler.

Is 70% isopropyl (with the other 30% being purified water) good enough (even if it burns weaker than 90% isopropyl)?

[chenbeier]

Yes you can use it.