Also referred to as Isopropanol, IPA and Rubbing Alcohol, Isopropyl alcohol is a clear, colourless solvent and is miscible in water and hydrocarbon solvents. The flashpoint of isopropyl alcohol is 12ºC with a fast evaporation rate. Isopropyl Alcohol is a multi-purpose surface cleaner suitable for a wide variety of uses. There are three main types of Isopropyl Alcohol: Isopropyl Alcohol 70%, Isopropyl Alcohol 99%, and Isopropyl Alcohol 100%.
The difference between Isopropyl Alcohol and Rubbing Alcohol is that Isopropyl Alcohol is defined as pure, either 99% or 100%, whereas Rubbing Alcohol refers to the 70% variant. Rubbing alcohol has a higher moisture content making it more suitable to disinfect wounds on the skin. The Isopropyl isn’t as harsh on the skin and it gives the alcohol time to kill bacteria as the higher moisture content slows down evaporation.
Isopropyl Alcohol Uses
Isopropyl Alcohol 99% or 100% is perfect for cleaning electronics; readers should note not to use Rubbing alcohol due to the high water content. You must use 99 or 100$ IPA for this purpose. It is also great for cleaning 3D printers and printed parts. It is also good at cleaning mirrors, stainless steel, 3D printers, and much more.
Resources
Visit this page to learn more about the specific use for Electronics at iFixIt
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