🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <5447@ucsbcsl.ucsb.edu>, 6500alh@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Archie Holmes) writes...
>Hello.
> 
>I have been told that it is possible to prove thermodynamically
>that alcohol can only be made 95% pure.  Do anyone knoe how
>to do this proof.  Thanks in advance.

Sorry, I have never done the 180 proof myself.  :-)

However, I assume that you mean you can't do better in a standard still.
It certainly is possible to purify alcohol to 99+%.  The usual method
involves using benzeze (a nasty carcinogen) to drive out the remaining
water, which is why you should never drink 200 proof lab grade 
alcohol.  

Of course, if you are going to do it anyway, you can put it in an
ice tray and partially freeze it into a slurry using LN2.  Goes down
real smooth.  It's also tolerable if you make a colloidal suspension of 
glutinous material and eat it in the gelled phase.  

Not that I ever...

-Scott

--------------------
Scott I. Chase			"The question seems to be of such a character
SICHASE@CSA2.LBL.GOV		that if I should come to life after my death
				and some mathematician were to tell me that it
				had been definitely settled, I think I would
				immediately drop dead again."      - Vandiver