Products
| HS Code | 242208 |
| Chemical Formula | CH3CH2CH2OH |
| Cas Number | 71-23-8 |
| Molecular Weight | 60.10 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Purity | ≥99.5% |
| Boiling Point | 97.2°C at 760 mmHg |
| Melting Point | -126.2°C |
| Flash Point | 23°C (closed cup) |
| Specific Gravity | 0.804 at 20°C |
| Vapor Pressure | 20.8 mmHg at 25°C |
| Vapor Density | 2.1 (air=1) |
| Solubility In Water | Miscible |
| Viscosity | 1.95 cP at 25°C |
| Refractive Index | 1.385 at 20°C |
As an accredited N-Propanol for Coatings factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | N-Propanol for Coatings is packaged in 200-liter steel drums, securely sealed to ensure safe handling, stability, and minimal contamination during transport and storage. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | N-Propanol for Coatings is loaded as a 20′ FCL in sealed drums/IBCs, secured and labeled, ensuring safe transport. |
| Shipping | Ship as UN1274 (n-Propanol), Hazard Class 3, PG II in approved drums or IBCs. Properly label, ground, and bond containers. Segregate from oxidizers and ignition sources. Ventilate cargo space, secure against movement, and provide emergency response documentation. Comply with all local and international transport regulations. |
| Storage | Store N-Propanol for Coatings in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat, sparks, and open flames. Keep containers tightly sealed and properly grounded. Avoid direct sunlight and store separately from strong oxidizers, acids, and foodstuffs. Use approved storage cabinets and ensure secondary containment to prevent spills. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 2 years from manufacture when stored in sealed containers, away from heat and moisture. |
On central-impression flexographic presses running corona-treated polypropylene and polyethylene webs, n-propanol functions as the primary alcohol solvent that maintains polyamide resin solubility at press-side letdown and extends the open time of anilox cell transfer before drying. In such surface-printing ink systems, the total volatile fraction commonly represents 70–82 wt% of the ready-to-use ink, and n-propanol is charged at 25–40 wt% of the total ink formulation, corresponding to 35–55 wt% of the solvent package. This addition window balances polyamide-binder resolubility against excessive solvent retention in polyolefin films. Compliance for indirect food-contact printed matter is anchored to Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 Article 3, with manufacturing hygiene under Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 Annex I; migration testing is performed according to EN 1186-1 and EN 13130-1, and Swiss retail specifications invoke SR 817.023.21 for unapproved substances. Production equipment includes central-impression presses with 8–10 colour decks, chambered doctor blades of 75–80 Shore A material, anilox engraving at 700–900 cells per linear inch and 3.2–4.0 BCM, with corona treatment maintained at 38–42 mN/m for BOPP and 40–44 mN/m for LDPE. Ink viscosity at 25°C is held at 20–25 s Zahn Cup 2, drying tunnels run at 70–80°C with 0.8–1.2 s interdeck residence, and residual n-propanol is controlled below 5 mg/m² by headspace GC-MS. Finished grades include surface-printed snack-food bags, frozen-food lidding film, hygiene film overwrap, and tamper-evident banding. An operational boundary is most evident on untreated polyolefin: surface energy below 36 mN/m produces crawling and pinholing, while n-propanol-rich blends above 40 wt% of the ink can extend blocking onset beyond 24 h at rewind tension.
Because polyester-polyurethane lamination inks are dried through high-velocity hoods between cylinder stations and then immediately adhesive-laminated, the solvent package must provide rapid early release without destabilising the polyurethane/nitrocellulose co-binder system. n-Propanol is used in this context as a medium-boiling oxygenated co-solvent; it is typically incorporated at 8–16 wt% of the finished gravure lamination ink, within a solvent blend dominated by ethyl acetate at 35–50 wt% and ethanol at 10–20 wt%. The n-propanol content suppresses surface skinning in the doctored cylinder wells and improves flow-out on reverse-printed polyester and aluminium foil. Regulatory assessment for the final converting structure falls under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for plastic food-contact materials, with overall migration tested to EN 1186-1; specific migration of the solvent is evaluated through EN 13130-1 when the converter’s migration risk assessment indicates a potential transfer. Cylinder engraving for this process typically uses cell depths of 45–65 µm, screen angles between 30° and 60°, and chromium-plated surfaces at 950–1,050 HV hardness. Press speeds of 250–400 m/min are operated with drying hood temperatures of 50–65°C and air velocities of 18–25 m/s; viscosity at 25°C is adjusted to 14–18 s DIN Cup 4 by adding ethyl acetate/n-propanol diluent. Terminal products are retortable stand-up pouches, lidding film for modified-atmosphere dairy packaging, high-barrier coffee packs, and pharmaceutical sachet lamination. A defined incompatibility exists in two-component polyurethane ink or lamination adhesive systems containing free isocyanate: the hydroxyl group of n-propanol competes with the crosslinking reactions, so ester or ketone solvents are used instead.
Flat-line finishing of veneered MDF doors and office furniture uses n-propanol in nitrocellulose sealer lacquers to provide reflow after reciprocating spray application and to reduce solvent popping when UV or polyurethane topcoats are subsequently applied. In pre-thinned ready-to-spray sealer formulations, n-propanol is charged at 4–10 wt% of the full formula, within a total solvent system of 60–70 wt%; it is commonly blended with n-butyl acetate and isopropanol to flatten the evaporation curve without pushing the VOC figure above the relevant limit. The compliance basis for industrial wood coatings is Directive 2004/42/EC Annex IIA and, where applicable, ISO 11890-2:2020 for VOC determination; emissions from forced-air drying chambers are assessed under Directive 2010/75/EU and related plant-permit conditions. Application is carried out with reciprocating spray heads at 2–3 bar air pressure and 0.8–1.2 mm nozzles, producing 80–120 µm wet film. Flash-off occurs at 20–25°C for 10–15 minutes, followed by forced-air drying at 60–70°C for 30–45 minutes. Intercoat sanding uses 320–400 grit aluminium oxide abrasives before topcoat application. Finished article types include high-gloss nitrocellulose-lacquered kitchen cabinet frames, veneered MDF office desking, interior mouldings, and acoustic panel frames. A process limitation is the need to avoid n-propanol loadings above 10 wt% in fast-drying sealers applied over open-pore veneers, where excessive solvent action can pull tannin from the wood and discolour the subsequent clear topcoat.
Ambient-refinish basecoat reducers depend on a medium-evaporation alcohol fraction to prevent metallic flake reorientation during flash-off while maintaining enough flow-out in unheated booths. n-Propanol is included in this role at 10–18 wt% of the reducer fraction, corresponding to 4–8 wt% of the total ready-to-spray mixture after mixing according to the paint producer’s specified ratio. Regulatory requirements in the European Union are set by Directive 2004/42/EC Annex IIB, with vehicle-refinish basecoat VOC limits of 420 g/L phased from January 2007; North American refinish operations follow VOC limits under 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart HHHHHH for miscellaneous surface coating at area sources. Application is performed with HVLP guns fitted with 0.8–1.2 mm fluid nozzles, inlet air at 2.0–2.5 bar, and fluid flow of 500–800 mL/min. Each basecoat pass delivers 12–18 µm dry film in two applications, with intermediate flash-off of 5–8 minutes at 20–25°C. After clearcoat application, forced-air or infrared baking at 60°C for 30 minutes is used. Terminal products include metallic and pearlescent basecoats on passenger cars, commercial vehicle cabs, motorcycle parts, and aftermarket colour-matched panels. The practical boundary for n-propanol in this use is its tendency to soften older acrylic repair surfaces; formulators restrict the alcohol fraction when adhesion to heat-sensitive thermoplastics is required.
Reverse-printed overprint varnishes applied over flexographic or gravure ink layers use n-propanol as a low-odour tail solvent whose 97°C boiling point and water-miscible character reduce retention in polyolefin films after hot-air drying compared with heavier glycol ethers. In such OPV formulations, n-propanol is included at 5–12 wt% of the ready-to-use varnish, while the total oxygenated solvent package usually accounts for 55–65 wt% of the formulation. Food-contact suitability is managed under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 Article 3 and Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 Annex I; the EuPIA GMP for Food Contact Printing Inks is used as the sectoral manufacturing standard, and residual solvent screening is conducted by headspace gas chromatography according to EN 13628-1 and EN 13628-2. Application on flexo presses uses an OPV station with anilox rolls engraved at 180–220 LPI and 7.0–9.5 BCM, while gravure application uses cylinder cell depths of 30–40 µm. Drying tunnels operate at 60–80°C with air velocities of 10–15 m/s and total residence times of 1.0–1.5 seconds; in-line flame ionisation detection is set to accept n-propanol residual levels below 0.5 mg/m². Terminal article categories include reverse-printed confectionery wrappers, high-gloss PP label facestock, biscuit laminate overwrap, and breakfast cereal liners. The primary formulation limit is block resistance: above 12 wt% n-propanol, rewind blocking can initiate at surface temperatures above 35°C unless additional slip additives are introduced.
For blast-cleaned structural steel that will receive polyurethane or epoxy intermediate coats, polyvinyl butyral wash primers incorporate n-propanol to maintain solvency of phosphoric acid ester film-formers and phenolic resin modifiers. n-Propanol is incorporated at 3–8 wt% of the total wash primer, normally within an alcohol content of 25–40 wt%; solids made up of polyvinyl butyral, phenolic resin, and corrosion-inhibitive pigment account for 18–25 wt%, with aromatic or ketone solvents providing the balance. System specification is anchored to ISO 12944-5:2019 for protective paint systems on steel, with surface preparation assessed to ISO 8501-1 and adhesion of the wash primer after curing tested by ISO 2409:2020 cross-cut classification; VOC content is determined by ISO 11890-2:2020. Application is by conventional or airless spray at 0.15–0.25 mm wet film thickness, yielding a dry film of 10–15 µm. Recoating under polyurethane or epoxy intermediate coats is allowed after 15–30 minutes at 20°C but before 8 hours to prevent lifting. End-use assemblies include blast-cleaned structural steel girders, shipbuilding panel lines, container corner posts, and steel furniture frames. A known limitation is that n-propanol-containing wash primers are not recommended over hand-tool-cleaned surfaces below St2, where residual mill scale leads to under-film corrosion and poor cross-cut adhesion.
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N-Propanol coating grade, designated NPC-995, is a linear primary alcohol supplied under CAS Registry Number 71-23-8, molecular formula C3H8O, and molar mass 60.10 g/mol. Typical commercial material is released at ≥99.5 wt% purity, with water below 0.10 wt% and acidity below 0.003 wt% calculated as acetic acid. The product serves as a medium-evaporating, water-miscible oxygenated solvent in nitrocellulose refinish lacquers, acrylic thinners, epoxy primers, and amino-crosslinked bake enamels. It is supplied in 160 kg steel drums, 800 kg intermediate bulk containers, and bulk tank truck quantities. The narrow distillation range of 96.0–98.0 °C, determined by ASTM D1078, supports predictable flash-off in multi-pass spray application and in roll-coat bake lines.
Moisture control is the primary release criterion in two-pack urethane clearcoats because isocyanate consumes water at rates comparable to primary alcohol groups, generating carbon dioxide and reducing crosslink density. For NPC-995, the specification maximum water value of ≤0.10 wt% by ASTM E203 is set below the level associated with visible microfoam in 60–80 µm clearcoat films. Production-scale storage and transfer under ambient relative humidity above 60% can generate measurable water uptake through open manways and drum headspaces within 30 min; closed-loop transfer, nitrogen blanketing, or desiccant vent dryers are required. Because n-propanol is completely miscible with water, contamination cannot be detected by phase separation, and only Karl Fischer titration or equivalent moisture analysis should be used. Sampling under humid conditions should use a closed thief or sample loop; opening a drum and pouring into an open beaker can bias Karl Fischer results upward. Formulators using the solvent in moisture-sensitive systems should reject batches above 0.10 wt% water or dry them by molecular sieve contact before charging. The product is not recommended for direct letdown of isocyanate-functional resins where water is above 0.05 wt% and exact ppm control is required.
The standard release specification for NPC-995 is given below. Certificates of analysis report test results for each production lot; values are not formulation-specific.
| Property | Test Method | Specification or Typical Value |
|---|---|---|
| Purity, gas chromatography | Supplier GC method | ≥99.5 area% |
| Water | ASTM E203 | ≤0.10 wt% (≤1000 mg/kg) |
| Acidity as acetic acid | ASTM D1613 | ≤0.003 wt% |
| Density at 20 °C | ASTM D4052 | 0.803–0.805 g/cm³ |
| Distillation range at 101.3 kPa | ASTM D1078 | 96.0–98.0 °C |
| Non-volatile residue | ASTM D1353 | ≤5 mg/100 mL |
| Color, platinum-cobalt | ASTM D1209 | ≤10 |
Gas chromatographic purity above 99.5% does not guarantee low acidity, because autoxidation of propanol to propionaldehyde and propionic acid can occur during storage at 40 °C without substantial purity loss. The low acidity limit is therefore critical for acid-sensitive formulations. The density range permits mass-to-volume correction for formulating calculations; the default density at 20 °C is 0.804 g/cm³. Headspace in partially used drums should be minimized, and drums should be resealed to limit both water and acidity drift. Incoming lots stored beyond 6 months should be rechecked for acidity before use in amino-catalyzed systems.
In acid-catalyzed hexamethoxymethylmelamine or urea-formaldehyde bake enamels, free acidity in the solvent contributes to catalyst demand even when the acidity specification is met. Batch-to-batch variation within ≤0.003 wt% acetic acid can alter cure at 120 °C in formulations with catalyst loadings below 0.1 phr of para-toluenesulfonic acid. n-Propanol is a primary alcohol and can participate in transetherification with melamine crosslinkers under bake conditions, releasing methanol and modifying network hardness. The hydroxyl group competes with resin hydroxyl sites; therefore replacement of aromatic hydrocarbon tail solvent with n-propanol is normally limited to 10–20 wt% of total solvent to avoid crosslinker demand shifts. Production experience from coil coating lines indicates that residual propanol in the film above 5 wt% of the vehicle at the crosslinking zone can produce hardness variation across sheet width. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; verification by spiral drawdown and MEK double rubs per ASTM D4752 is used as an incoming lot evaluation. If acidity rises above 0.005 wt%, a bake-ladder trial at 110 °C and 130 °C is advised before production release.
As a linear isomer of isopropanol, n-propanol has a higher normal boiling point (97.2 °C versus 82.3 °C), higher density (0.804 g/cm³ versus 0.785 g/cm³ at 20 °C), and lower vapor pressure at 20 °C (2.0 kPa versus 4.4 kPa). The relative evaporation rate determined by ASTM D3539 is reported near 0.8 for n-propanol when n-butyl acetate is assigned 1.0, while isopropanol evaporates materially faster. Direct mass replacement in acrylic topcoat thinners extends wet-edge time and can improve flow in low-VOC primers, but it increases the risk of solvent retention. Viscosity at 20 °C is approximately 2.2 mPa·s for n-propanol and 2.0 mPa·s for isopropanol; the viscosity difference is less significant than the evaporation gap. In automotive basecoat flash-off zones, n-propanol may require longer residence time before clearcoat application; volatile content should be established by ASTM D2369 under the same oven airflow used on the line. Sag control additives may require re-balancing because the longer open time delays viscosity build after deposition; laboratory sag resistance can be ranked by ASTM D4400.
The solvent profile of n-propanol relative to two common coating alcohols is summarized below. Values are typical for anhydrous commercial material and are used for initial screening only; certificates of analysis supersede these data.
| Property | n-Propanol | Isopropanol | n-Butanol | Primary method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molar mass | 60.10 g/mol | 60.10 g/mol | 74.12 g/mol | — |
| Boiling point at 101.3 kPa | 97.2 °C | 82.3 °C | 117.7 °C | ASTM D1078 |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.804 g/cm³ | 0.785 g/cm³ | 0.810 g/cm³ | ASTM D4052 |
| Viscosity at 20 °C | 2.2 mPa·s | 2.0 mPa·s | 2.95 mPa·s | ASTM D445 |
| Vapor pressure at 20 °C | 2.0 kPa | 4.4 kPa | 0.6 kPa | ASTM D2879 |
| Relative evaporation rate (n-BuAc = 1) | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.45 | ASTM D3539 |
| Flash point, closed cup | 23 °C | 12 °C | 35 °C | ASTM D56 |
Compared with n-butanol, n-propanol has a lower boiling point and faster evaporation, making it less likely to be retained in high-bake coatings but also less effective as a tail solvent for extending flow in ambient-cure systems. Compared with isopropanol, the linear molecule provides a narrower solvency window for some acrylic resins; however, published Hansen solubility parameters for n-propanol are δD 16.0 MPa0.5, δP 6.8 MPa0.5, δH 17.4 MPa0.5, while isopropanol differs mainly in polar and hydrogen-bonding contributions. These differences are not large enough to support blind substitution; resin compatibility should be confirmed by cloud-point titration with the intended diluent blend.
In nitrocellulose wood lacquers, n-propanol functions as an oxygenated co-solvent in the presence of active ester or ketone solvents, not as a standalone active solvent for nitrocellulose. Its complete miscibility with water, esters, ketones, and aromatic hydrocarbons permits adjustment of latent solvent balance and diluent tolerance. The distillation range of 96.0–98.0 °C by ASTM D1078 is narrow enough for predictable flash-off; a widening of the distilled range above 2 °C often indicates contamination with water or higher alcohols, which changes solvent balance. Water content above 0.10 wt% can cause hazing in humid spray application because the solvent mixture absorbs additional atmospheric water and reduces diluent tolerance. In high-solids alkyd primers, n-propanol is used at low addition levels of 3–7 wt% of total solvent to reduce low-shear viscosity without substantially lowering the flash point of the solvent blend. Addition at 5 wt% can reduce Brookfield viscosity by 30–50%, depending on resin acid value and solvent composition; viscosity should be determined by ASTM D2196. The product is added after pigment dispersion, not during high-speed disperser grinding, because its flash point and vapor pressure create a fire exposure near shaft seals and open charging ports.
In epoxy-polyamine maintenance coatings, n-propanol reduces curing-agent viscosity at 2–5 wt% addition, but residual reactivity should be checked because primary alcohols are not inert in amine-cured matrices and can compete for available epoxy sites during extended induction. The solvent is not recommended for addition to waterborne formulations containing reactive metal pigments without package stability testing, because alcohol-water mixtures can generate gas with unprotected aluminum or zinc. Mixing equipment should be grounded; the closed-cup flash point of 23 °C places NPC-995 within flammable liquid category 3 under GHS, and storage should follow NFPA 30 or local fire codes. Avoid combination with strong oxidizing agents, and avoid long-term contact with unprotected carbon steel where trace acidity can form iron soaps that precipitate in clear finishes. For alkyd systems containing zinc oxide or zinc phosphate, package stability data should be collected according to ASTM D1849 before production scale-up.
