Ethanol is a commonly used fuel, solvent and disinfectant, and is also used to prepare other compounds. Ethanol is widely used. It can be used to make acetic acid, beverages, spices, dyes, fuels and so on. Ethanol with a volume fraction of 70%~75% is also a commonly used disinfectant in medical treatment, which is widely used in national defense industry, medical and health care, organic synthesis, food industry and industrial and agricultural production.

The structural formula of ethanol is CH3CH2OH, which is a kind of alcohol and the main component of wine, so it is also called alcohol, commonly known as fire wine. The chemical formula can also be written as C2H5OH or EtOH, and Et stands for ethyl. Ethanol and methyl ether are isomers.

The physical properties of ethanol are mainly related to the properties of its low-carbon linear alcohol. The hydroxyl groups in the molecule can form hydrogen bonds, so the viscosity of ethanol is very high, and it is not as polar as organic compounds with similar relative molecular weight. At room temperature, ethanol is a colorless, flammable and volatile liquid with special fragrance.

Ethanol is a commonly used fuel, solvent and disinfectant, and is also used to prepare other compounds. Industrial alcohol contains a small amount of methanol, and medical alcohol is about 75% ethanol.