189
4.4 Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and Its Industrial Importance
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which is often called as the first modern synthetic petrochemical, is one of the important lower alcohols—ranked third in commercial production behind methanol and ethanol [181]. IPA is widely used in hand sanitizer
formulations and sold as rubbing alcohol in supermarkets and drugstores. IPA has
similar physical characteristics with those of short-chains alcohols and mixes well
with water. The major application of IPA is as solvent and used in various sectors
such as paints, printing inks, in drug synthesis, and in the cosmetic and personal
care products (Fig. 17). IPA is also used as a chemical intermediate in the production of acetone and base chemicals used in the cosmetics and pesticide formulations. Besides, IPA is also one of the most readily saleable chemicals and exempted
from most of the government regulations and no special taxes are levied like ethanol
selling [184].
Based on the end applications, several grades of IPA are produced and available
in the market such as industrial/technical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical (USP), reagent,
and electronic [182, 183]. End uses of various grades of IPA are given in Table 13.
Industrial-grade IPA is mostly consumed in the USA, Western Europe, China,
Japan, and India as direct solvent applications. As per IHS Markit data, the global
demand of IPA was around 2.60 million metric tons in 2018 and expected to grow
at a CAGR of 2.6% to 2022 [185].
Fig. 16 Propane oxidation using membrane-oxidation catalyst in presence of CO [177]
C3-Based Petrochemicals: Recent Advances in Processes and Catalysts
4.4 Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and Its Industrial Importance
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which is often called as the first modern synthetic petrochemical, is one of the important lower alcohols—ranked third in commercial production behind methanol and ethanol [181]. IPA is widely used in hand sanitizer
formulations and sold as rubbing alcohol in supermarkets and drugstores. IPA has
similar physical characteristics with those of short-chains alcohols and mixes well
with water. The major application of IPA is as solvent and used in various sectors
such as paints, printing inks, in drug synthesis, and in the cosmetic and personal
care products (Fig. 17). IPA is also used as a chemical intermediate in the production of acetone and base chemicals used in the cosmetics and pesticide formulations. Besides, IPA is also one of the most readily saleable chemicals and exempted
from most of the government regulations and no special taxes are levied like ethanol
selling [184].
Based on the end applications, several grades of IPA are produced and available
in the market such as industrial/technical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical (USP), reagent,
and electronic [182, 183]. End uses of various grades of IPA are given in Table 13.
Industrial-grade IPA is mostly consumed in the USA, Western Europe, China,
Japan, and India as direct solvent applications. As per IHS Markit data, the global
demand of IPA was around 2.60 million metric tons in 2018 and expected to grow
at a CAGR of 2.6% to 2022 [185].
Fig. 16 Propane oxidation using membrane-oxidation catalyst in presence of CO [177]
C3-Based Petrochemicals: Recent Advances in Processes and Catalysts