Absolute alcohol

Absolute alcohol or dehydrated alcohol is anhydrous pure ethanol, (C2H5OH) containing no more than one percent water.

Related Topics:
Anhydrous - Ethanol - C - H - OH - Percent - Water

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It is not possible to obtain absolute alcohol by simple fractional distillation, because a mixture containing at least 95.4% alcohol and 4.6% water becomes a constant boiling mixture (an azeotropic mixture). To obtain 100% pure alcohol a small quantity of benzene is added to rectified spirit and the mixture is then distilled. Absolute alcohol is obtained in third fraction that distills over at 351.3 K (78.2 °C).

Related Topics:
Fractional distillation - Alcohol - Boiling - Mixture - Azeotropic - Benzene - Rectified spirit - K - °C

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Because a small amount of the benzene used remains in the solution, the product of this process will cause extensive liver damage if consumed.

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There is also an absolute alcohol production process by dehydration using glycerine.

Related Topics:
Dehydration - Glycerine

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