Acetone, also called propanone, is the smallest and simplest organic compound that is flammable, volatile, and colorless with a specific odor. Other names include ketone propane, dimethyl ketone, dimethyl formaldehyde, and dimethyl carbonyl or pyro acetic spirit. The organic compound has a chemical formula of (CH3)2Co. It was produced in the Middle Ages by middle alchemists through metal acetates distillation, such as lead acetate. Additionally, it is used at home, laboratory, and industry and acts as an important solvent because of the miscibility. In 2010, the world produced millions of tones to serve as a solvent and produce bisphenol as well as methyl methacrylate.
The highest tones were produced in the United States, Taiwan, and china.in addition, and propanone is also generated and eliminated from the human body by metabolic processes. People who have diabetes generate it in higher amounts, unlike those without. To add to that, toxicity tests for reproduction have shown that acetone has a low capability to bring reproductive problems. The organic compound is produced naturally in surrounding by trees, plants, forest fires, and volcanic gases. It has canned also because environmental effects like depletion of oxygen in water systems in view of microbial consumption.
1. Medicine or Pharmaceuticals
Production of pharmaceuticals is one of the common uses of acetone as a solvent. It has had qualities of mucus, which is absorbed through ingestion, inhalation, and the skin. Its chemical reaction in living cells causes an increase in glucose production. When it is at high concentration, it becomes a central depressant of the nervous system. This organic compound is the best option when it comes to blending active ingredients and fillers which have pharmaceuticals in the form of liquid and pills. If acetone is not applied in medicine, most pills will be hard to compress into proper density, thus cannot fully dissolve. Therefore, acetone becomes essential for efficient medication.
2. Environmental industry
It exists naturally to the environment and is considered to be non-toxic to living organisms like animals and the surroundings.it assists in compacts oil spills through melting sludge or removing it from animals, marine plants, and water plants.
3. Pest control products
This chemical is highly volatile, which is used in various pesticide products as well as solvent and inert ingredient. These pesticides include turf, garden products, outdoor yard, and crop or agricultural products.
4. Used in paints
The primary constituent in nail polish remover is acetone. It is also less toxic compared to methanol, benzene, and tetrachloroethane. Thus it is used in removers and paint thinners. This flammable compound dissolves paint by reacting with molecules on the surface, providing electrons from a group of hydrogen at the end of the molecule. It mixes well with acrylics and paints for its miscibility hence softens them and form a malleable mixture. On the other hand, most compounds destroy the surface of paints, unlike acetone, which cleans the surface of materials. It, therefore, minimizes damage and allows easy removal with scrappers and mineral spirits.
5. Used in dyes
It gives consistent color to outdoor and indoor color on concrete surfaces when used properly. For instance, the concrete dye is acetone-based, which is meant for concrete surfaces. The solvent compound mix with dye and bind with underlying concrete. Concrete dye is capable of providing long-lasting color when it’s well maintained and sealed with quality concrete sealer. This coloring agent can also be used with concrete acid in order to boost texture and color. It is reasonable to think that acetone makes a concrete dye to be an excellent choice, for it covers smaller imperfections.
6. Coating in industries
System providers who offer coting services frequently want to offer quality products that are environmentally friendly in their companies. Powder coatings should not have high volatile compounds and dangerous pollutants for it to meet expectations of environmental demands. Powder coatings are preferred instead of spray coatings, for they can be reused or utilized for the process. Acetone is ranked as an effective solvent for coating cleaning types of equipment for transportation.
7. Domestic or home purpose
The solvent exists in our daily life at a large amount, and it is quite fast to get exposed to acetone. There are many home products that consist of acetone like adhesives, food products, drinking water, paints, and nail polish. Other products with acetone are shoes, plastics, and commercial products for cleaning.
8. Cosmetics and personal care
This colorless liquid is commonly used to formulate personal care and cosmetics products. These products are cleaning products, fragrance, nail, hair care, skincare, oral care, shaving, sun protection, facial makeup, and bathing products. They are also used by makeup artists to adhesives from wigs, mustaches, and beards after being worn. This is done by placing the object in acetone that will eventually soften the glue moving with a brush.
9. Used in electronics
Isopropyl and alcohol are not only the products used for cleaning electronics, and acetone is used as well. For instance, microchips may tend to have gunk that cannot be cleaned easily with other solvents like alcohol. When alcohol is exposed to air for years, it begins to lose its efficiency. The use of propane dissolves amazingly and does not destroy it.
10. Applied in Petroleum industries
Since acetone is a gasoline additive, gas is diffused easily in the engine by the thinning process. It helps to vaporize petroleum and improve efficiency.
11. Used Textiles industries
It is not only applied in nail remover but also in removing oil, gum, and many sticky materials from unprocessed textiles such as silk or cotton. The solvent is able to get rid of glue, resins, and epoxy from both soft and hard surfaces. Also, it serves as a degreaser in metals and can be applied in tools after final welding to remove rosin flux.
12. Used in laboratories
Propane is an essential chemical solvent in laboratories. In most cases, it is used to wash residue and solids from the glass. Its property of miscibility makes it be used in cleaning water from equipment’s, making it dry fast. It can also be acquired at a cheap cost, and unlike other solvents.in addition, it serves as a component in different chemical reactions. It helps to conduct low temperatures reactions for its low freezing point of -80 degrees celsius. The chemical acts as a reagent in the oxidation process of jones alcohol as well as trace fluorescence in UV light.
