My supply of Iso-Propyl Alcohol has ran out, and I need something as a fuel and disinfectant for random experiments I do all the time, and I'm not willing to take a whole day to go to the center of the city and find a chemical shop. Can I make Ethanol at home? I got pure glucose powder with me, yeast, beakers, graduated cylinders, mini incubator, and the kitchen. Anyone know whats the best ratios for glucose:yeast:water and how I can distill it at home with simple "labware". I don't have any tubing, only straws, but I might be able to get some tubing for distillation. Or any alternative to distillation for getting a reasonable amount of ethanol, only about 12% of solution after 48 hours is ethanol, I want to get it up to a concentration where I can ignite it.
I don't really think I want to go to a liquor store, I don't want the type used for consumption, and also I really don't think I want to go to one of those.
In the US, that's where you can get pure ethanol. Of course you can't drink it, but they have a license to order it for you. It would take far longer to make it yourself.
Why not just order it over the internet? Here's a link that you can buy it from and the shipping is free. http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=...p://www.ultrapure-usa.com/pages/hospital.html
Nope, pharmacy didn't have anything, only place i can get it is the center of the city which takes hours to get to, and then after that have to hunt for a store, and then hours to come back. India's not such a developed country. I'd have to go hunting over there in a place like this Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Maybe I could buy antiseptics and distill?
It's unlikely that you would have enough random things laying about to make pure ethanol quickly. It requires specific equipment to maximize the feedstock: output ratio It should be easy, though, to slap together a traditional style pot still in which you could get a fairly pure substance by cooking the same batch multiple times. Unfortunately it would be a very inefficient and slow process. Not sure about that though. Please keep us informed if you give it a try.
I don't know where she lives to be honest, but she does live in India. She might know where you can get it. Why don't you PM her ?
I am a little busy at this moment (doh >.>), but happens to open this thread: DON'T. If you're going to make alcohol at home without proper apparatus, don't try to distill any alcohol sources, you'd be at risk at becoming blind! What are you going to use the alcohol for? You mentioned "fuel and disinfectant for random experiments", what exactly?Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! If the pharmacy doesn't have, maybe you could try cosmetic shop. gtg, ciao
Or your school lab. Chemical or bio lab must have some. Or doctor. argh gtggggg Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I noticed everyone telling him to go to a liquor store. I was under the impression isopropyl alcohol was different than grain alcohol (ethanol). I don't imagine anyone using ethanol to sanitize anything LOL
That's really surprising...virtually every pharmacy here has 70% or 90% isopropanol on sale very cheaply...I think it's around a few dollars/liter.