Xylene/xylol And Paint

[Firestopper]

I think your question was answered so I'll add a shop tip for re-storage of paint cans that has worked well for us. Prior to closing up a can of any type of paint for long periods, I purge the air out with inert gas using a Mig. Precautions should be taken to ensure you do this safely (disconnect the drive rollers and NO ground clamp any where near the can). Obvious but worth mentioning. Use the lid to cover enough of the opening allowing just the nozzle to fit and give it 10-20 seconds of noble gas. I have reopened cans of paint three years later to find them useable. This works with all types of paints.

 

[Tony Wells]

Xylene/Xylol is also the base product of most commercial "octane boosters", along with some top cylinder lube (Marvel Mystery Oil). If you have a a high compression engine, or one that prefers "Premium" grade fuel, this additive will make a world of difference. Old Harley's appreciate it too.

Old house painters trick was simply to invert the can and store it upside down. The vapors from the remaining paint filled the void at the upper end, and prevented a skin from forming and helped preserve the paint. Seems the lid never would properly seal gas-tight again.

 

[stupoty]

Methanol = 1 Carbon + 1 methyl group, it is the simplest alcohol
Ethanol = 2 carbons + 1 methyl group.
Both are extremely toxic to pretty much all living things.
isopropyl = a 3 carbon active group that is connected to a another group at the second carbon - it is not an alcohol. isopropanol is a 3 carbon chain with the methyl group attached to the middle carbon.
Note the names of the alcohols are almost the same as the familiar gases, methane, ethane, propane, etc. Same compounds with an -OH instead of an H at one of the carbons.
Rubbing alcohol is composed mostly of denatured alcohol.
Denatured alcohol is ethanol with additives that make it poisonous. Ethanol kills most micro-organisms on contact - it is extremely poisonous. We use 200 proof around the lab to sterilize dissection tools or to clean stuff that should not be bleached.

Not sure why I said methanol above when I should have said ethanol. No biggie, the point remains.

I thougt isoropanol = ipa (isopropyl alcohol) ?

Link to standards spec , http://www.astm.org/Standards/D770.htm

Stuart

 

[ch2co]

Stuart! Shame on you.!Everybody who know their stuff knows that IPA is the nectar of the gods e.g. India Pale Ale, whose alcohol is Ethanol CH3CH2OH.
Isopropyl alcohol is a also a true alcohol C3H7OH and is commonly used as a rubbing alcohol. I use it mainly as a lens cleaner (glass ones) while I often am sipping an IPA.

CHuck the grumpy old guy

 

[joshua43214]

I thougt isoropanol = ipa (isopropyl alcohol) ?

Link to standards spec , http://www.astm.org/Standards/D770.htm

Stuart

isopropyl is not the same thing as isopropanol.
isopropyl is a simple hydrocarbon active group, isopropanol is an alcohol also known as isopropyl alcohol. Propane is what you get when you remove an isopropyl group from it's parent molecule and replace it with a hydrogen.
they have pretty major differences in chemistry and reactivity. They are about as different as mild steel and stainless steel.

Rubbing alcohol is mostly ethanol
http://www.pharmacopeia.cn/v29240/usp29nf24s0_m1270.html

 

[ch2co]

"Rubbing alcohol is mostly ethanol" ??
Ethanol can be used as a rubbing alcohol, but has to be "denatured" by the addition of other substances so as to make it essentially undrinkable otherwise such products would have to be sold with a liquor stamp over the top to show that proper taxes have been paid, and only be sold at a liquor store (So just get a bottle of Evercleafr )
Isopropyl is as you noted a radical and can't exist in this state as a bottle of isopropyl. All of the rubbing alcohol that I have around my house is labeled Isopropyl alcohol, check it out on your local drug or grocery store shelves.

 

[stupoty]

isopropyl is not the same thing as isopropanol.
isopropyl is a simple hydrocarbon active group, isopropanol is an alcohol also known as isopropyl alcohol. Propane is what you get when you remove an isopropyl group from it's parent molecule and replace it with a hydrogen.
they have pretty major differences in chemistry and reactivity. They are about as different as mild steel and stainless steel.

Rubbing alcohol is mostly ethanol
http://www.pharmacopeia.cn/v29240/usp29nf24s0_m1270.html

I'm not a chemistry expert just an end user I always see the stuff labled as isopropyl alcohol and isopropanol on the same containers so just interested in it from that point of view.

Is it just a massive misnoma of naming stuff?

I took a pic of a tin i have kicking about ,

Stuart

 

[hman]

Picking a few nits ...

Methanol = 1 Carbon + 1 methyl group, it is the simplest alcohol
Ethanol = 2 carbons + 1 methyl group.
Both are extremely toxic to pretty much all living things.

I think you meant to say that methanol = 1 carbon (CH3-) + 1 hydroxyl group (-OH) = CH3OH, ethanol = 2 carbons (CH3CH2-) + 1 hydroxyl group (-OH) = CH3CH2OH or C2H5OH. Agreed that methanol is toxic. Ethanol is toxic to humans in large quantities, especially if you get behind the wheel. It's not too bad in moderation.

isopropyl = a 3 carbon active group that is connected to a another group at the second carbon - it is not an alcohol. isopropanol is a 3 carbon chain with the methyl group attached to the middle carbon.

Again, it's a hydroxyl (not methyl) group attached to the central carbon. n-propanol has the hydroxyl group attached to the end carbon.

Rubbing alcohol is composed mostly of denatured alcohol.

The rubbing alcohol I have (from a local drugstore) is 91% isopropanol. They also sell 70% isopropanol.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol with additives that make it poisonous.

I'm pretty sure I've seen that in the paint aisle - thinner for shellac, etc.

PS to Stuart - As you've noticed, there are different ways to name many chemicals ... methanol/methyl alcohol, ethanol/ethyl alcohol, isopropanol/isopropyl alcohol.

I'm reminded of a story I heard when working for Celanese Chemical Company 'way back when. A young chemist wanted to ship a bulk liquid by tank car. He phoned the railroad and said he had some vinyl cyanide (CH2CHCN) to ship. The railroad had a bad hissy-fit and flatly refused to ship any kind of cyanide. The young chemist mentioned this to the lab supervisor, who told him to call the railroad again, and ask to ship acrylonitrile. No problem from the railroad. The shipped that stuff all the time! Same chemical, different names. Both valid, though acrylonitrile is the "official" one. Nitrile is the name of the -CN group when it's part of an organic molecule.

 

[GLCarlson]

Methanol = 1 Carbon + 1 methyl group, it is the simplest alcohol
Ethanol = 2 carbons + 1 methyl group.
Both are extremely toxic to pretty much all living things.
isopropyl = a 3 carbon active group that is connected to a another group at the second carbon - it is not an alcohol. isopropanol is a 3 carbon chain with the methyl group attached to the middle carbon.
Note the names of the alcohols are almost the same as the familiar gases, methane, ethane, propane, etc. Same compounds with an -OH instead of an H at one of the carbons.
Rubbing alcohol is composed mostly of denatured alcohol.
Denatured alcohol is ethanol with additives that make it poisonous. Ethanol kills most micro-organisms on contact - it is extremely poisonous. We use 200 proof around the lab to sterilize dissection tools or to clean stuff that should not be bleached.

Not sure why I said methanol above when I should have said ethanol. No biggie, the point remains.

These posts are confusing at best or outright wrong.

 

[abrace]

Thanks again everyone, this feedback was fantastic and a big help.