Sciencemadness Discussion Board

A new solvent from a nailpolish remover

rstar - 2-10-2011 at 10:19

Hi Geeks,

I have read in some articles that Nail Polish Removers contain a solvent for dissolving Nail polish. This solvent is generally Acetone or Ethyl Acetate. But mine stuff didn't show the properties of anyone. It is completely miscible in Water (proving its not Ethyl Acetate), and it also does not dissolve Styrofoam (proving its not Acetone).

This liquid is clear, volatile, miscible with H2O and can also dissolve Iodine to form a dark reddish solution (like that of ethanol), but what can it be ??

Thanx in Advance for any help.

Neil - 2-10-2011 at 10:21

Did you do a MSDS search?

kavu - 2-10-2011 at 10:24

Based on your description, I'd go with isopropyl alcohol i.e. rubbing alcohol. Try to mix brine with the liquid. If two phases separate it might well be isopropyl alcohol rather than say ethanol.

barley81 - 2-10-2011 at 10:36

Compare the smell of the nail polish remover with that of common solvents. I tried to melt a styrofoam cup with acetone and it did little; you should try to melt your styrofoam with pure acetone. Also, you can distill it and record the b.p. of the fractions.

This should belong in 'Beginnings'

[Edited on 2-10-2011 by barley81]

ThatchemistKid - 2-10-2011 at 11:05

It could be a complicated mixture of things, I have seen nail polish removers contain a mixture of benzophenone, propylene carbonate, ethyl acetate...the list went on for about 20 different compounds.

blogfast25 - 2-10-2011 at 12:01

ThatchemistKid is right: they are usually quite complicated mixtures, even the 'acetone' or 'ethyl acetate' ones. Try distilling it: the main component might come over clean and it will give you a good idea of BP of that substance...

rstar - 2-10-2011 at 20:52

Thanx for suggestions

This liquid can reduce KMnO4 to MnO2 instantly. Might be organic.
Also when it is mixed with H2O, it gets slightly warm.



[Edited on 3-10-2011 by rstar]

blogfast25 - 3-10-2011 at 02:43

Quote: Originally posted by rstar  
Thanx for suggestions

This liquid can reduce KMnO4 to MnO2 instantly. Might be organic.
Also when it is mixed with H2O, it gets slightly warm.



[Edited on 3-10-2011 by rstar]


KMnO4 reduction to MnO2 strongly points to alcohol(s). Try if you can also K2Cr2O7: should reduce to Cr3+ (blue green)

H2O causes heat: that's almost certainly solvation heat.

rstar - 9-10-2011 at 06:42

When I added this solvent to Copper(I) Iodide, it turned yellowish. It think it might have dissolved a little of CuI to form some coordinated complex that has a yellow color.

It didn't dissolve all, as it looked me the same amount which I had before adding that liquid.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jDFx7yeBvw
I seen in this NurdRage's video where CuI dissolved in Pyridine to form a yellow solution of ' Trispyridinecopper(I) Iodide '

blogfast25 - 9-10-2011 at 09:54

Such a superficial resemblance means very little, rstar. Careful not to jump to conclusions far too quickly...

peach - 11-10-2011 at 03:11

Can you check the boiling point?

It won't be dead on if the nail polish remover has other things in it, but it may give some idea of what is in there.

<iframe sandbox width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/WQKoveUHG3g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

rstar - 16-10-2011 at 04:11

I don't have any equipments to perform even simple distillation, :( Perhaps I am a younger chemist than i should be.

But most other experiments done by me are successful, so i'm happy :D

rstar - 16-10-2011 at 04:27

Quote: Originally posted by rstar  
When I added this solvent to Copper(I) Iodide, it turned yellowish. It think it might have dissolved a little of CuI to form some coordinated complex that has a yellow color.

It didn't dissolve all, as it looked me the same amount which I had before adding that liquid.


I found that my Copper iodide had small amounts of Iodine, so that might have got dissolved to form a yellow solution.

Alastair - 20-10-2011 at 08:06

Try Cu.OH.2 maybe? Burning colour check for metals.