Glycerol: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
Glycerol and '''glycerin''' (US) / '''glycerine''' (UK) refer to the same molecule, | Glycerol and '''glycerin''' (US) / '''glycerine''' (UK) refer to the same molecule, | ||
yet glycerin is a commercial term that typically refers to mixes that are | yet glycerin is a commercial term that typically refers to mixes that are >95% of it by volume. | ||
See also: | See also: |
Revision as of 15:34, 15 September 2023
Glycerol - a clear, viscous, odourless, slightly sweet, non-toxic, liquid
- used e.g. as a humectant, a solvent, a sweetener, a preservative, a thickening agent
- has some anti-freeze properties
- has a few medical uses
- A specific compound (C3H8O3), and technically a triol (with three OH groups)
Glycerol and glycerin (US) / glycerine (UK) refer to the same molecule,
yet glycerin is a commercial term that typically refers to mixes that are >95% of it by volume.
See also:
More widely, you can look at diols and triols.
You may see the term glycol[1], which is the property/grouping of aliphatic diols, where
- aliphatic = non-aromatic
- diol = alcohols with two OH functional groups (triols have three)
Some compounds in this area include (but are certainly not limited to)
- glycerol/glycerin[2], as mentioned
- used as a sweetener (then also known as E422), humectant, preservant, and is used in personal lube
- 'propylene glycol[3], functionally somewhat similar to glycerol
- E1520 when used for food
- E490 when used for cosmetics
- polyethylene glycol[4]
- biologically inert
- used in skin creams, personal lubricant, used for larger and longer-lasting soap bubbles
- ethylene glycol[5]
- e.g. used in classical antifreeze
- treat as being bad for people
- diethylene glycol[6] (hydrolysed ethylene glycol)
- e.g. a solvent
- treat as being bad for people
Smoke machine fluids seem to often be glycerol or propylene glycol (sometimes other glycols, but not ethylene glycol) and water,
though there appear to be some newer formulations that leave less residue(verify).
Vaping liquid has a base that is often a mix of part glycerin (smoother, cloudier) and propylene glycol.