Propylene

Propylene Glycol Versus Ethlyene Glycol

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Glycol an organic compound belongs to the alcohol family. One of the simplest members of the class is Ethylene Glycol which is one of the organic compounds being talked about in this blog, along with Propylene Glycol which is another member of this class that isn’t as simple as Ethylene Glycol.

What is Propylene Glycol?

For the simplest terms, Propylene Glycol is a liquid that has no color, no smell, and no taste and belongs in the chemical class of alcohol. Propylene alcohol serves the main purpose of absorbing water. People will commonly mistake Propylene glycol for Ethylene glycol, but the contrast is that Ethylene glycol is toxic. Propylene glycol is an additive product and serves many different purposes in a multitude of industries.

Some of these uses for Propylene Glycol include:

  • Food Industry Coolants
  • Deicing and antifreeze fluids
  • Non-ionic Detergents
  • Plasticizers
  • Hydraulic brake fluids
  • Solvent
  • Extractant
  • Humectant
  • Unsaturated Polyester Resins

What is Ethylene Glycol?

Slightly similar but different, Ethylene glycol is a synthetic liquid that also absorbs water. Ethylene glycol is odorless, colorless, and also in contrast has a sweet taste. As mentioned before, Ethylene glycol is toxic which makes it the biggest difference from Propylene glycol  besides having a taste, unlike the tasteless Propylene glycol. Ethylene glycol serves similar purposes in different industries but lacks some of the other uses and is limited in applications.

Some uses of Ethylene Glycol include:

  • Antifreeze and de-icing solutions
    • Auto
    • Aviation
    • Boating
  • Hydraulic brake fluid
  • Inks (used in)
    • Stamp pads
    • Ballpoint Pens
    • Print Shops

Toxicity?

Propylene glycol and Ethylene glycol through their descriptions and definitions have many similarities, but the biggest difference that needs to be discussed is their levels of toxicity and Ethylene glycol being heavily toxic. The ATSDR classifies Ethylene glycol as a CNS depressant, a similar substance would be ethanol, classifying it as a hazardous material. Ethylene glycol if ingested affects kidney function and can affect the acid/base balance in the human body. Propylene glycol is not toxic compared to Ethylene glycol because it’s recognized as safe by the ATSDR for the pharmaceutical and food industries, and rarely results in toxic effects. In circumstances where there was a toxic effect, it was in strange circumstances. Though they both serve important purposes one is safer for human consumption than others.

For more questions about chemicals, you may be handling or coming into contact with contact us here today!

Electronic Solvent Cleaner: Finding Environmentally Safe Alternatives

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A dependable cleaner is essential in the electronics industry to remove contaminants such as flux, adhesive residues, solder, and general debris left behind from the manufacturing process. Electronic solvent cleaners are used to increase the lifetime of the product by boosting surface resistance as well as other properties. As new products consistently decrease in size, manufacturers must take all necessary steps to deliver high performance and reliability.

An exceptional electronic solvent cleaner ensures adequate adhesion for coatings in addition to insulation resistance. Cleaning is necessary throughout the manufacturing process to ensure each electronic component is high quality. For example, removal is often required prior to soldering to eliminate contaminants from previous production phases. Awareness has drastically increased regarding how electronic solvent cleaners affect the environment thus causing several companies in this industry to seek safer, environmentally friendly options.

What Makes an Electronic Solvent Cleaner Safer for the Environment?
Traditional electronic solvent cleaners contain extensive Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s, which contribute to ozone depletion and create health concerns for handlers or anyone working around the chemicals. Safer alternatives are being developed to deliver the equivalent results with a lower risk. A number of qualities make a chemical safer for the environment including:

  • Minimal VOC’s
  • Rapid Drying
  • Non-Flammable
  • Minimal Ozone Depletion
  • Little to No Odor

Trichloroethane or TCA was the most common solvent choice for electronic cleaning and maintenance tasks; however, it was banned due to its negative impact on the environment. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) was another popular chemical solvent that many companies are seeking to replace because it is harmful to the environment. Finding an exact replacement is not easily done for these chemicals and requires a little work. Many providers have developed solutions with safer qualities that are suitable as an alternative.

A Few Key Considerations
Many replacement options offer solutions containing minimal to no VOC’s. This ensures minimal harm as substances enter the atmosphere through evaporation or manufacturing processes. Additionally non-flammable, rapid drying solutions offer a reduced risk of evaporation. The faster the substance dries, the less time it has to evaporate. Non-flammable electronic solvent cleaners have either no flash point or a flash point higher than 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

Electronic solvent cleaners with a low flash point are considered flammable and dangerous for the environment. This risk increases when the flash point is lower because it vaporizes at a lower temperature. Electronic solvent cleaners with no flash point simply do not vaporize at any temperature. The boiling point specifically determines the temperature at which the liquid will turn to gas. Those with a low boiling point are considered to be a fire hazard because they produce extensive amounts of vapor at low temperatures.

Electronic solvent cleaners with higher vapor pressures are more volatile and considered to be dangerous. Other factors to evaluate when selecting environmentally friendly electronic solvent cleaners are: vapor density, surface tension, hazardous air pollutants (HAP’s), and threshold limit values. At Ecolink, we offer a number of environmentally friendly, effective options to aid in cleaning. We can also formulate a safe to handle, non-ozone depleting solution to meet your unique needs. Contact us today to learn more!

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How Do You Degrease Parts Safely and Effectively?

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Tools, industrial machinery, car parts, and much more needs to be regularly cleaned and degreased as part of routine maintenance, but how do you degrease parts in a safe and effective way? The easiest way to degrease parts is to soak or clean them in a strong degreasing agent that will break down and wash away build up without causing damage to your tools or mechanical parts.  Acetone is a great degreasing agent that is strong, easily handled with minimal safety gear, and cost effective. Acetone is a prefered cleaning agent for degreasing parts and machinery, not only because it is affordable and easy to use, but it has a high evaporation rate and significantly reduces any risk of damage caused by moisture.

How Do You Degrease Parts with Acetone?

  • Be sure you are supplied with a high purity grade of acetone that will effectively degrease. Ecolink recommends and supplies 99% purity for industrial use. You will also want to make sure you have any necessary protective gear such as gloves and a well ventilated space to work in.
  • Depending on what kind of machinery or parts you are degreasing you will either wipe the machinery down using acetone as your cleaner, or soak parts that have small creavisies in acetone to effectively break up and wash away build up.
  • After you have cleaned or soaked your parts you simply wipe away any excess solvent and allow the parts to dry.

Need Acetone for Parts Degreasing?

If you are looking for a reliable supplier of acetone to clean and degrease your parts, tools, or machinery, shop acetone here or contact us today. Ecolink is a trusted provider of industrial cleaning and degreasing agents, that supplies high purity, bulk and standard supplies, in an environmentally conscious manner.

metal-cleaning-solvents

What Are The Best Metal Cleaning Solvents?

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Shopping for Metal Cleaning Solvents?

If you are in need of metal cleaning solvents that are effective, safe, and affordable, shop here or contact us today! Our customer care team is ready to help you find your perfect solvent.

Learn More About Metal Cleaning Solvents

Finding the right metal cleaning solvents to use for your machinery is very important for a number of reasons. First and foremost, you want to have solvents that are safe to use and effectively clean your equipment, preventing build up and damage. You also want to make sure that if you are cleaning a specific type of metal, like stainless steel, that you are not using a solvent that will cause damage to the metal surface. Another important factor in purchasing metal cleaning solvents is finding a provider that offers a variety of high quality solvents and cleaners, as well as the necessary information to safely use them.  Whether you are looking for solvents to clean and degrease large industrial machinery or stainless steel home appliances, quality is key, and that is exactly what you will receive when shopping for metal cleaning solvents with Ecolink. Ecolink is an environmentally friendly supplier of chemicals and solvents that would be happy to help you find the best solvents for your needs.

  • Alcohol – Alcohol is an effective cleaner and degreaser for large metal machinery in industrial and manufacturing settings. Alcohol is a low VOC solvent (low volatile organic compound) that is safe to use, requiring little safety gear and effectively prevents gumming and build up on machines.
  • Acetone – Much like alcohol, acetone is generally safe to use and is a strong degreaser that can be used to wipe metal machinery clean after use.
  • Green Cleaners – In addition to standard metal cleaning solvents, Ecolink offers several green solvents that are safe for stainless steel, and will not tarnish or dull the appliance’s finish. These green cleaning agents are also safe for the user and cause no harm to the environment.

The importance of Glycol TPM in 3D Printing

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What to use to clean a 3D printer?

Tripropylene Glycol Methyl Ether, also known as Glycol TPM  has a wide variety of applications, it is most commonly used in the cleaning process of 3D printers. When a 3D printer machine is used it leaves behind a SLA residue that will hinder future job prints if it is not properly cleaned. The most common resins used to manufacturer parts in the DLS printing process include urethanes, epoxies, silicones, and etc. Any amount of resin left by the printers will tarnish the value of the product created  and ultimately hurt the reputation of the product produced.

Glycol TPM is cruical to use is the post-process cleaning of SLA 3D printers. It has been used as a coupling agent and solvent in paint, varnish, and rust removers, and has become more prominent in the growing industry of 3D printing. Glycol TPM is ideal for this application due to its low viscosity which is key for removing the printed resin that the machines leave behind.

Countiued Benefits of Glycol TPM

Buy EcoLink’s Glycol TPM to optimize the full use of your 3D printer and not to worry about left behind resins anymore.

Glycol TPM, is sold in bulk orders at EcoLink, we will provide you with the amount you need to ensure the cleanest possible printer and that it is efficiently running at maximum capability. To find our supplies of  Glycol TPM  find us at

Glycol Ether TPM- 55 Gallon

Contact  (800) 563-1305 for futher questions and options.