X-Message-Number: 2175
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 93 14:39:59 CDT
From: Brian Wowk <>
Subject: CRYONICS Propanol Cost

        An industrial chemical supplier called me back this week after 
finally locating a source for n-propanol ("normal" propanol).  At 
$1.80 per liter (CDN) it is only 10% more expensive than ethanol!.  It 
freezes at -126'C (compared to -115'C for ethanol), making it an ideal 
thermal ballast material.  Because it is less volatile than ethanol, 
Canadian regulations for propanol handling are also less stringent 
than for ethanol.
 
        The only catch is that we will still want to mix the propanol 
with water to reduce flammability.  This will depress the freezing 
point of propanol to its eutectic point with water, which will be some 
unknown distance below -126'C.  This will have to be checked 
experimentally.
 
        I have access to LN2, and the excellent thermocouple 
thermometer in my Alcor Transport kit reads with 0.5'C accuracy all 
the way down to -190'C.  All I need are some small quantities of 
ethanol and propanol.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could 
get some?  (I don't have any contacts in my local chemistry 
department.)
 
                                                --- Brian Wowk

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