Ask A Scientist© Chemistry Archive

name        tony
status      other
age         50s

Question -  what is the difference between denatured alcohol and
rubbing alcohol?
------------------------------------------------
Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chamicals
have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one
recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some
gasoline, and so on.

Rubbing alcohol is an alcohol intended to be rubbed on the skin. Frequently
70% iso-propyl alcohol / 30% water is used; sometimes ethanol with added
iso-propyl alcohol is used. You don't want to use denatured alcohol that is
made with anything that shouldn't be placed on the skin, such as gasoline!

So, some, but not all, kinds of denatured alcohol can be used as rubbing
alcohol. Rubbing alcohol may also not contain any ethanol at all, which
would disqualify it from being "denatured". So, some but not all kinds of
rubbing alcohol are denatured alcohol, and some but not all kinds of
denatured alcohol can be rubbing alcohol.

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
=========================================================
Rubbing alcohol, these days, is synthetically produced isopropyl alcohol
diluted with water to 70% strength. This is not fit for consumption.
Denatured alcohol is ethanol (a.k.a. ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, etc.)
that would otherwise be fit for mixing libations EXCEPT that it has been
altered by the addition of a chemical that makes it particularly unfit for
consumption.  One common denaturant causes blindness when consumed, while
another imparts a strongly bitter taste.  The point of denaturing alcohol is
that ethanol has usefulness outside of consumption for intoxicating effects.
These other uses need not bear excise taxes for beer, wine and liquors, so
it is altered to preclude its being diverted to this sort of use.  Denatured
ethanol is also regulated by ATF and requires extensive record-keeping and
licensing for someone to use or to store the material. While the consumable
ethanol is produced by fermentation of sugars, the material that is
denatured for other uses is usually produced synthetically.
Tim Spry
========================================================
Hi Tony!
Denatured alcohol used comercially, it is an alcoholic product
with some additives in order to make it toxic and unpalatable,
preventing its use by addicted people.
A common additive is tertiary butyl alcohol.
Rubbing alcohol is another alcohol,usually isopropyl alcohol,
used sometimes in external medicines. Also it is not drinkable.
The alcohol drinkable is the ethanol, used in alcoholic beverages.
Sadly many people wishing intoxication look for other kind
of alcoholic products, and doing so more than getting
intoxicating, can kill themselves.
Mabel
(Dr. Mabel Rodrigues)
=========================================================