Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 06/08/2015 06:50:02
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mansoor asked the Naked Scientists:
please let me know the best solvent for non alcoholic fragrance and how to know the strength of perfume for dilution.
What do you think?
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Possibly the first question to ask is about the fragrance molecules in your perfume - are they "polar" or "non-polar"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_polarity#Polar_molecules
If they are polar, often water will make a good solvent - non-toxic, and it has no odor of its own.
For non-polar molecules, a non-polar solvent often works better - but these can be flammable, oily, or have a scent of their own.
Alcohol is actually a very flexible solvent, since it has both polar and non-polar characteristics. Plus, it evaporates soon after application, leaving just the desired scent.
As for concentration, it totally depends on the strength of the scent molecules that are being used.
Designing fragrances is a sophisticated business - even the language seems strange to most people. This exhibition of fragrances, at the National Gallery of Victoria had a number of white "scent booths" containing samples of the raw chemical ingredient and the finished fragrance. Both sensual and chemical descriptions were provided of each (the example here had more crossover than most).
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One way to run an art exhibition of Fragrances...
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(I couldn't get more than 2 images in the previous post...)
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Depends what you mean by 'non alcoholic' and 'best'.
If you want something 'halal' then you can probably get away with isopropyl alcohol; it is AN alcohol, but not the fun ethyl alcohol that everyone is concerned about, and stuff should dissolve just fine in it.