# Isopropanol

Isopropyl alcohol: a cheap, fast-drying solvent and disinfectant made from propylene or acetone, used in pharma, coatings, inks and chip cleaning.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/

Commodity chemicals · Methanol & oxygenates · No. 35

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 3 Mt a year (2025, indicative)
- 1.8 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290512
 Commodity chemicals · Methanol & oxygenates · Foundation · Matter

The 70% alcohol in every hospital swab doubled in price in 2020 as the world scrambled for sanitiser.

Chart: Illustration: Isopropanol

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Propylene is hydrated with water over an acid catalyst, or surplus acetone from phenol plants is hydrogenated. Direct hydration accounts for about 45% of capacity.

##### Three things to know

1. In Q3 2025 IPA cost about $872 a tonne in China but about $1,393 in the US.
2. India's DGTR recommended anti-dumping duties of $82-217 a tonne on Chinese IPA in August 2024.
3. Electronic-grade IPA for chipmaking must hold metals below 1 part per billion and sells for several times the technical price.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Propylene or acetone**0.75 t propylene or 0.98 t acetone
2. 2 **Hydration**Acid catalyst at 130-160 C, or hydrogenation
3. 3 **Distillation**Breaks the 87.4% water azeotrope
4. 4 **Grading**Technical, pharma, or ppb-pure electronic
5. 5 **End use**Solvents, sanitiser, chip cleaning, then evaporates

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/isopropanol/links/index.md)