Isopropanol and Ethanol: Solvent Uses, Hazards and SDS Differences

Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol, IPA, propan-2-ol) and ethanol (ethyl alcohol) are the two alcohols most buyers mean when they ask for a cleaning solvent or disinfectant base. They look similar, they are both flammable, and they are often sold side by side, but their classification, regulation and documents differ in ways that matter for a trader.

Isopropanol: where it is used

Isopropanol, CAS 67-63-0, is a clear liquid with a sharp odour. Its main uses are as a solvent in coatings, inks and cleaning products, as an electronics and optics cleaner because it leaves little residue, in hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants (typically 60 to 70 percent in water), as a de-icer additive in fuel, and as a chemical intermediate. It is also used in pharmaceutical processing and laboratories.

Ethanol: where it is used

Ethanol, CAS 64-17-5, has an extremely broad range of uses: beverages, fuel blending (bioethanol), pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fragrances, disinfectants, food flavour extracts, and as an industrial solvent and intermediate for acetates and other chemicals. Because of its use in drinks, ethanol is tightly controlled by excise law in most countries. Industrial ethanol is commonly denatured, meaning a denaturant is added so it cannot be drunk, and this changes both its tax status and its documentation.

Hazard classification compared

Both are highly flammable liquids (category 2, H225). Isopropanol is additionally classified for serious eye irritation (H319) and drowsiness or dizziness (H336), while pure ethanol in many harmonised entries carries only the flammability classification, with eye irritation commonly added by suppliers for higher concentrations. The signal word is Danger and the flame pictogram (GHS02) applies to both, with an exclamation mark (GHS07) for isopropanol. Confirm the current entries for your grade.

Flash point depends on concentration, and this is where solution products trip people up. Pure ethanol flashes at around 13 degrees Celsius, pure isopropanol near 12 degrees, but when they are diluted with water the flash point rises. A 70 percent solution is still a flammable liquid, though possibly in a different category, and a solution under roughly 20 to 25 percent alcohol may not be flammable at all. You need the flash point of the exact blend you sell. See our guide on flash point for how it sets the category.

Handling and storage

Treat both as fire-risk liquids. Store them in closed, grounded containers in flammables cabinets or rooms, away from heat and ignition sources, and use explosion-proof equipment where vapour may accumulate. Keep them away from strong oxidisers such as nitric acid, permanganate and peroxides. Isopropanol can slowly form explosive peroxides on prolonged storage, so date containers and avoid distilling to dryness. Wear splash goggles and chemical-resistant gloves, and provide ventilation.

What changes in the documents

For ethanol, the SDS should name the denaturant and its percentage if the product is denatured, because the denaturant (such as isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone or bitterants) can alter the classification. For both alcohols in disinfectant use, check whether biocidal product regulations require authorisation before you can market the product, since a safety data sheet alone does not cover that. Transport is Class 3 flammable liquids, normally packing group II for high-strength products. Check the current UN numbers.

The classifications we hold are on the isopropanol page and the ethanol page, and the acetone guide compares a third common solvent.