Hey Everyone,
Not so long ago I made HP soap with natural colorants infused in isopropanol (credits to @Mobjack Bay for coming up with the idea)
You can read about it here: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/index.php?threads/75970/
I was wondering if there would be a difference if I would infuse the plant powders in ethanol in stead of isopropanol. I know ethanol is often used in transparent soap and I have it around, so I thought I could try.
A quick search on the web told me that ethanol has a linear structure, while Isopropanol has a branched structure and that ethanol works better as a solvent for polar compounds while Isopropanol is better for non-polar compounds.
I'm hoping I'll get some different shades because the ethanol might dissolve more of the polar compounds and less of the non-polar compounds of the plant powders (I'm especially hopeful to get a more blueish green from spirulina, since phycocyanin is hydrophilic) but I don't know if that theory would hold true at all.
I'm also kind of hoping ethanol will make the bars of soap harden out faster, because after a week they're still a bit soft. They're getting more firm, but it's taking a while. When I was trying my hand at transparent soapmaking I don't remember the soap staying soft for that long while I'm pretty sure I used more solvents and last week's test recipe with isopropanol was a 100% CO soap, so should be quite hard. I could imagine the branched structure of isopropanol might play a role in that?
Anyway, any insight or input from someone with knowledge or experience working with the two alcohols is greatly appreciated!
Not so long ago I made HP soap with natural colorants infused in isopropanol (credits to @Mobjack Bay for coming up with the idea)
You can read about it here: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/index.php?threads/75970/
I was wondering if there would be a difference if I would infuse the plant powders in ethanol in stead of isopropanol. I know ethanol is often used in transparent soap and I have it around, so I thought I could try.
A quick search on the web told me that ethanol has a linear structure, while Isopropanol has a branched structure and that ethanol works better as a solvent for polar compounds while Isopropanol is better for non-polar compounds.
I'm hoping I'll get some different shades because the ethanol might dissolve more of the polar compounds and less of the non-polar compounds of the plant powders (I'm especially hopeful to get a more blueish green from spirulina, since phycocyanin is hydrophilic) but I don't know if that theory would hold true at all.
I'm also kind of hoping ethanol will make the bars of soap harden out faster, because after a week they're still a bit soft. They're getting more firm, but it's taking a while. When I was trying my hand at transparent soapmaking I don't remember the soap staying soft for that long while I'm pretty sure I used more solvents and last week's test recipe with isopropanol was a 100% CO soap, so should be quite hard. I could imagine the branched structure of isopropanol might play a role in that?
Anyway, any insight or input from someone with knowledge or experience working with the two alcohols is greatly appreciated!
