2-Butoxyethanol

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What is 2-Butoxyethanol?

Also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, Glycol EB, and butoxyethanol. This product is a colorless liquid and possess a sweet and ether-like odor. It is nonvolatile and is an inexpensive solvent of low toxicity. One of the best characteristics of this product is that it has not been identified as a major environmental contaminant. An interesting fact about 2-butoxyethanol is that glycol ethers are produced annually around 200-500 kilotons.

2-Butoxyethanol Uses

2-butoxyethanol has been used since the 1930’s. It can be used as a mutual solvent since it has surfactant properties. Also it has been used in different industries such as: business, petroleum and more.

2-Butoxyethanol Commercial Uses

2-butoxyethanol has been used as a solvent for paints and surface coatings, as well as cleaning products and inks. Also, it has been used as a main ingredient for acrylic resin formulations, firefighting foam, leather protectors, oil spill dispersants, degreaser applications, photographic strip solutions, whiteboard cleaners, liquid soaps, cosmetics, dry cleaning solutions, lacquers, varnishes, herbicides, latex paints, enamels, printing paste, and varnish removers, and silicone caulk. This product is an essential compound for construction sites, automobile repair shops, print shops and facilities that produce sterilizing and cleaning products. Since this chemical has both non-polar and polar ends, this product is good for removing and cleaning grease and oils. Also, 2-butoxyethanol can be used as indirect and direct food additives (antimicrobial agents, defoamers, stabilizers, and adhesives).

2-Butoxyethanol Petroleum Uses

This product is an essential component of fracturing fluids, drilling stabilizers, and oil slick dispersants for water-based and oil-based hydraulic fracturing. Because this product can work as a surfactant, it is able to absorbs at the oil-water interface of the fracture. Also, it is used as cure oil-water coupling solvent for more general oil well workovers.

 

2-Butoxyethanol and the Environment

As it mentioned before, because this product contains low acute toxicity, it can be disposed of incineration. 2-butoxyethanol comes from some industrial activities. It is usually produced by a reaction of ethylene oxide with butyl alcohol, but it may also be made by the reaction of ethylene glycol with dibutyl sulfate. 2-butoxyethanol is widely used as a solvent in protective surface coatings such as spray lacquers, quick-dry lacquers, enamels, varnishes, and latex paints. Also, this product can pass into air from water and soil. In the atmosphere, 2-butoxyethanol probably exists almost entirely as a vapor.
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What is Glycol DPNB?

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What is Glycol DPNB?

It’s a slow-evaporating solvent that has low water solubility and low volatility. Glycol DPNB is a colorless liquid and has excellent surface tension-lowering abilities. Also, this product demonstrates good solvency for coating resins. Because this product has a low degree of toxicity, its used in agricultural, coating, cleaning, ink, textile, and adhesive products. Glycol DPNB is found in water.

Glycol DPNB uses:

This particular product is frequently used in different industries such as coatings and cleaners.

Coatings:

  • Excellent coalescing performance in various resins ( Acrylics, Styrene-Acrylics and more)
  • Offers superior film forming characteristics
  • Excellent solvent for interior water-based paints

Cleaners:

  • Used in cleaner formulations that requires a slow evaporation rates (wax strippers, floor cleaners and more)
  • Excellent coupling agent for many oils and greasers

Other industries:

Glycol DPNB works excellent in industries such as agriculture, cosmetics, electronics, ink, textile and adhesive products.

Why is it beneficial to use Glycol DPNB?

For coatings resin, most studies have shown that the most common resins contain a high level of toxicity. Resins that are mostly oil-based are the ones that can contaminate the environment mainly because contain pigments and distillated petroleum. Also, an important characteristic of the resins that are oil-based is that it can affect your health if it is not used properly. Some of the bad effects of using oil-based resins are:

  • Respiratory problems
  • Muscle weakness
  • Liver and kidney damage
  • Irritate eyes
  • Irritates skin
  • Irritates lungs
  • Causes headaches
  • Causes nausea

As mentioned before, oil-based coatings can harm the environment if disposed of improperly. The bad effects that can cause to the environment are: Pollution on rivers, streams and groundwater.

On the other hand, Glycol DPNB is environmentally friendly chemical compound in the propylene glycol family, is found in many household and green formulated cleaning products, and one of the best features of this product is that is biodegradable into CO2 and water. Also, studied have shown that Glycol DPNB is relatively a benign compound not considered to act as carcinogens. Also, this product’s is able to degrade rapidly into the atmosphere which is excellent for employees that are constantly exposed to different chemicals. Studies have approved that Glycol DPNB is a desirable alternative for dry cleanings such as PCE and more. Mainly because of their reduced environmental and human health impacts

Isopar uses for metalworking

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Isopar Uses for Metalworking

Isopar is well known for being an excellent ingredient for cleaning machinery. Most people do not know that Isopar is a fantastic choice when it comes to protect and clean metal surfaces, especially the ones that contain difficult parts that other chemicals are not capable of reaching them.

Advantages of Using Isopar in Metalworking:

  • Low toxicity
  • Low odor
  • Control friction
  • Reduce tool wear
  • Disperse heat
  • Low electric conductivity
  • High flash points for greater safety margins
  • High thermal and chemical stability for longer fluid life

Why Isopar is Good for Rust Prevention

Isopar fluids offers optimum control when it comes about performance and high level of safety. Also, Isopar fluids brings comfort and stability for their employees and customers.

Essentially Isopar Fluids Offer

  • High degrees of quality and consistency
  • Narrow boiling range
  • Lower toxicity and low odor
  • Significantly higher OELS

As Odorless Evaporating Oils, Isopar fluids offers properties such as:

  • Enabling the formulation of outstanding self-evaporating oils
  • Excellent performance with selected food contact applications
  • Provides a uniform spreading of the formulated oil on metal parts

Propylene Glycol in Food

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What is propylene glycol?

Propylene glycol is a colorless and odorless liquid created from petroleum. Most food industries use propylene glycol mainly because it has the ability to keep a substance moist, also its capability to maintain texture and the fact that it can be mixed with almost anything (water, alcohol, oil and more). It is widely used in food and drink products as a thickener and preservative or to add a little bit of sweetness.

Is propylene glycol safe?

Most scientists have determined that propylene glycol in small quantities is safe to consume, although it can be toxic in large doses.

Food industries that use Propylene Glycol:

Most people do not know that a lot of the drinks and food that they consume in their everyday lives contain propylene glycol. The maximum amounts of propylene glycol are:

  • 97% of seasonings and flavorings
  • 24% of confections and frostings
  • 5% of alcoholic beverages
  • 5% for nuts and products made from them
  • 5% of frozen dairy products
  • 2% for all other foods

Some of the common food industries that use propylene glycol as a main ingredient are:

Dunkin’ Donuts in their flavored iced teas

Nestea in their flavored liquid water enhancers

Ice Cream industries such as Blue Bunny and Coldstone Creamery

Boxed Cake mixes such as Betty Crocker chocolate mix and Duncan Hines yellow cake

To clarify, these are the ways that food industries are using propylene glycol:

  • As an anti-caking agent: It helps prevent food components from sticking and forming clumps
  • Antioxidant: Propylene glycol is able to extend the shelf life of food
  • As a carrier: Dissolves other food additives or nutrients
  • As a dough strengthener: this product is able to modify the starches and gluten in dough to make it more stable
  • As an emulsifier: it prevents food ingredients from separating such as oil and vinegar in salad dressing
  • Moisture preserver: propylene glycol helps food to maintain a stable level of moisture
  • Processing aid: frequently used to enhance the appeal of the appearance of food
  • Stabilizer and thickener: used to hold food components together
  • Texturizer: It can change the appearance or mouthfeel of a food

Additionally, it is used in industrial products like paint, antifreeze, artificial smoke and e-cigarettes.

What Is N-Butanol?

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What is N-Butanol?

N-Butanol, also known as 1 butanol, or butyl alcohol, is an alcohol produced by petrochemical processes or fermentation of sugars derived from corn.

Applications of N-Butanol in the Manufacturing Industry

  • It is used in plastics, polymers, lubricants, brake fluids, and  synthetic rubber.
  • It can be used as a source of fuel.
  • As an environmentally friendly and powerful solvent for cleaning and polishing products.
  • N-Butanol is present in numerous beverages and food and it is used as an artificial food flavoring in the USA.

Applications of N-Butanol on the Cosmetic and Laboratory Industry

  • Humectant for cellulose nitrate
  • Used in the cosmetic industry as well in products such as shampoo, shaving products and soaps.
  • As a chemical intermediate to create other vital compounds such as Glycol Ether, Acrylate Esters, Amino Resins, Acetates, and Animes.

One interesting fact about N-Butanol is that it is almost insoluble in water, but soluble in almost all other organic solvents.

Benefits of N-Butanol

  • Can be used in gasoline engines without modification.
  • High energy content.
  • Low vapor pressure and low evaporation rate.
  • Used as an intermediate to create other chemicals.
  • Fewer emissions than regular fuel.

N-Butanol as a Source of Fuel

Did you know that N-Butanol is a better alternative to fuel rather than Ethanol? N-Butanol offers higher energy, it is more compatible with the gasoline structure, it does not absorb water from ambient air, and it is not corrosive.

Interested in using N-Butanol? Please call (800) 563-1305 or send an email to products@ecolink.com.