Simply put, solvents are substances that dissolve other substances. In chemistry, this property of solvents is used to create complex formulations that are made for specific uses.
Although cleaners that contain solvents vary widely in terms of applications and effects, most industrial solvent-based cleaners are made from one of three types of solvents: oxygenated, hydrocarbon, and halogenated. Below, we look at their basic characteristics to help inform your cleaner purchase.
- Oxygenated Solvents
These types of solvents are formulated by extracting key elements from chemicals to create a cleaner that has the desired consistency and effect. More often than not, oxygenated solvents deliver exceptional purity (i.e., 99.0% to 99.9% pure), which supports their efficacy.
Near the end of the production process, oxygenated solvents undergo refinement that removes infinitesimal particulates, excess water, and other elements that would compromise the cleaner’s power and/or safety. Because the impurities can be predicted by the chemical process used to create the solvents, they can be produced quickly, which contributes to their affordable price.
The major types of oxygenated solvents are alcohol, glycol ethers, ketones, esters, and glycol ether esters.
- Halogenated Solvents
These types of solvents undergo a chlorination process that gives them similar qualities, especially in terms of aroma, distillation range, flash point, and density. Many halogenated formulations also share the same color. One of the primary differences among this class of solvents is the volume of liquid dissolved to create the desired formulation.
For users, one of the most immediately notable distinctions between halogenated and hydrocarbon solvents is that the former commonly have a highly pungent aroma. Regardless of formulation, halogenated solvents consist of chlorinated hydrocarbons.
- Hydrocarbon Solvents
These types of solvents are known for their complex composition, especially compared to oxygenated solvents. In addition, unlike halogenated solvents, hydrocarbon solvents tend to differ significantly in terms of aroma, distillation range, flash point, and density.
Because they vary widely in the elements they contain, halogenated solvents are commonly created as custom solvents, which are formulated to match the needs of a narrow range of users or a single user. There are two main types of hydrocarbon solvents: aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Choosing Solvent Cleaners
Unless you have a formidable knowledge of the chemistry behind solvent cleaners, selecting solvent cleaners based on the solvent they contain can be difficult. For most users, the optimal way to select a cleaner is to consult a manufacturer of stock solvents and custom solvents.
Contact Ecolink Today
Ecolink is an experienced provider of environmentally safe and environmentally preferred industrial cleaners. We focus on making solvents that are safer for humans and the environment than previous generations of industrial cleaners. When you get a cleaner from us, you’re virtually guaranteed to never need a replacement due to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.
To inquire about our products and services, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to helping you identify the right types of solvents for industrial cleaning!
Custom Aqueous Solvents: How to Purchase Them Economically
/in Aqueous Cleaning Agents/by Industrial DegreasersMost companies and organizations that invest in custom aqueous solvents do so out of necessity. They need a water based solvent but can’t find a ready made solution that meets their needs. The only option is creating a custom solvent that addresses all requirements.
Because custom aqueous solvents are manufactured from scratch, they frequently cost a bit more than stock solvents. You may have no option but to pay the price; however, there are four simple steps you can take to purchase your solvent economically. Let’s look at what they are.
Suppliers of custom aqueous solvents have different price structures, so it pays to shop around, as the old saying goes. Chances are that most of the quotes you receive will be in the same ballpark, but one price will be lower than the rest.
Choosing a supplier that offers the best price points is the first step toward saving money on your aqueous solvent purchase. But before you buy, confirm that the price is the regular price, not a special offer that won’t be available the next time you need to order solvent.
You have the option of purchasing your solvent in ready to use form or in concentrated form that must be diluted with water. If you’re familiar with the water dilution process for the type of solvent you need, buying in concentrated form allows you to use the highest percentage of water, while maintaining the efficacy of the solvent for the application.
The volume in which you order a custom aqueous solvent also impacts price. For large-scale solvent users, buying in bulk is commonly the best option, as it typically offers a lower price per volume than a standard purchase. For small-scale users, purchasing solvent on an as-needed basis is often the best option. It allows them to use only as much solvent as required and prevents over investing.
Whether you can recycle your solvent depends on its formulation and how you use the solution. For example, using a vapor degreasing solvent in a closed parts washer can facilitate solvent recycling, as long as the washer has the technology required for the job. If you can recycle your solvent, it could become a big cost saver in the long run.
Get Custom Aqueous Solvents Here
Ecolink is a seasoned supplier of eco friendly cleaners available in stock and custom formulations. We have years of experience creating unique solvents for the unique needs of specific users. We offer eco friendly, custom aqueous solvents that are ready to use or come in concentrated form, provide a variety of supply volume options, and supply free test samples of solvents on request.
To get started on creating a custom aqueous solvent, please call us today at 800-563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to supplying a custom solution at a competitive price you can afford!
How to Replace TCE Vapor Degreaser in 4 Steps
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersTCE vapor degreaser works like a charm, so why would you want to replace it? If you’re in the position of most companies and organizations that plan to replace TCE vapor degreaser, the reason is twofold: Chemicals TCE contains are toxic to humans and natural ecosystems.
This is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking steps that appear headed toward the official ban or heavy regulation of TCE. Right now, TCE users are in the position to voluntarily replace TCE vapor degreaser or replace it by legal precedent when regulations kick in. According to senior EPA officials, voluntary replacement is the most hassle-free, cost effective option.
According to Wendy Cleland-Hamnett, director of the EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), “Voluntary efforts are frequently quicker and more cost-effective than regulations … But where we can’t do it through voluntary efforts, we will pursue regulations.” Below are four simple steps that you can take to replace TCE vapor degreaser voluntarily.
Specifically, focus on choosing a provider of “environmentally safe” and “environmentally prefered” cleaners. Solvents that fall under one of these classifications are virtually guaranteed to remain free of EPA regulations. You can depend on using an environmentally safe or an environmentally prefered TCE replacement for many years to come.
Selecting a provider that offers both stock and custom cleaners gives you the widest range of TCE replacement options. There’s good chance you can find a stock solvent that meets your requirements. If not, working with a provider of custom solvents brings the opportunity to acquire a unique solution that’s tailored to your needs.
After you identify a provider, request assistance with replacing your TCE degreaser, as needed. Examples of important information the provider can offer includes: solvent and parts washer compatibility, safety measures that should be taken with a particular solvent, and emissions per volume based on how the solvent is used, to name just a few.
Not all providers offer this option, but those that do generally offer the highest level of customer service. For example, Ecolink supplies free test samples of all of our products. Simply request a product sample through our website, and see for yourself how the cleaner performs. After you observe the results, you can make a highly educated buying decision.
Contact Ecolink Today
TCE has worked well as an industrial degreaser for many years, but its chemical safety profile is too dangerous to workers and the environment to remain unregulated. The regulations may be an impediment to TCE users right now, but they’re ultimately a blessing. When you replace TCE vapor degreaser with a safer solution, you become a better steward to your workers and the environment.
Ready to replace TCE vapor degreaser? Call us today at 800-563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to presenting TCE replacements that are safer but just as efficacious as TCE.
Solvent Cleaning 101: What is a Polar Solvent?
/in Electrical Contact Cleaning Solutions/by Industrial DegreasersIf you’re shopping for industrial cleaning solvents, you may have run across the term “polarity” in your search. If you’re not a chemist or a salesperson for a solvent company, you may be wondering what the term means and why it’s significant. Below, we provide a simple definition of a polar solvent and explain why this type of solvent is important to cleaning operations.
What is a Polar Solvent?
Polar solvents contain molecules that maintain an electrical charge that has low amperage, which means the amount of electrical current flowing between the molecules is low on the amperage scale. The most common example of a polar molecule is water; it contains one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms that are set at an angle to the oxygen atom, creating a minor imbalance in the electrical charge (a.k.a. polarity) of the water molecule.
If you place a solid in water, it can dissolve due to the solid’s molecules attracting to the electrical charge of the water molecules. For example, salt dissolves in this manner when placed in water. The same thing can happen when you subject a soil to a polar cleaning solvent. However, a polar solvent will not readily dissolve non-polar materials. This is why polarity is one of the chief considerations when choosing a solvent for removing specific types of accumulations.
Dielectric Constancy
Polar solvents for industrial applications are frequently classified by dielectric constancy, which is measured by what’s known as a polarity index. Encyclopedia Britannica defines dielectric constant as the “property of an electrical insulating material (i.e., a dielectric) equal to the ratio of the capacitance of a capacitor filled with the given material to the capacitance of an identical capacitor in a vacuum without the dielectric material.”
More to the point of our purpose here, Britannica goes on to explain, “Dielectric constants of liquids and solids may be determined by comparing the value of the capacitance when the dielectric is in place to its value when the capacitor is filled with air.”
When we use a polar solvent to remove soils from a material, we use it to remove polar materials. Otherwise, we’d perform the cleaning process repeatedly, without good results. This is why choosing a cleaning solvent without knowledge of the solvent’s polarity and the polarity of the soil(s) that need to be removed can hamper productivity and waste time and money. It’s also why you can’t go wrong by speaking with a solvent chemist before you place a solvent order.
Need a Polar Solvent?
If you’re not sure, contact Ecolink. Our team of chemists are here to produce efficacious, eco friendly solvents, and help you select the right option for your requirements. If one of our stock solutions doesn’t hit the mark, we’ll formulate a custom solution that works flawlessly. Plus, we’ll send you a free sample of what you plan to order, so you can see how it works before buying.
Call us today at 1-800-563-1305, or use our contact form. We look forward to assisting you!
Formulation and Use of Scale Solvent: An Overview
/in Ecolink News/by Industrial DegreasersA scale solvent is a solvent whose active properties are measured using official scales that predict the performance of the solvent in crucial areas. For example, it is common to “scale” a solvent using the following eight performance indicators, among others:
A scale solvent is typically quantified in one of two capacities: as a solvent whose characteristics compare to other solvents in the same class, or as a solvent whose traits compare to other classes of solvents.
When comparing solvents in the same “class”, the classification may be quite broad (e.g., aqueous solvents) or highly specific (e.g., dielectric cleaners for circuit boards). In either case, the goal is to show whether the solvent’s formulation is scaled to the needs of the user.
Scale Solvent vs. Custom Solvent
When companies and organizations set out to buy a solvent, they have two basic options: Purchase stock solvents that are already formulated and ready for shipment, or invest in a custom solvent that is formulated to meet the requirements of a single user.
Because custom solvents tend to cost a bit more and take slightly longer to deliver than stock solvents, most users look for a stock solvent instead of immediately targeting a custom formulation. Due to the precise measurement of one or more of its scalable qualities, a scale solvent provides a solution that’s shown to work in a highly specific manner, much like a custom solvent would.
There are also cases when a scale solvent is a custom solvent. The solvent’s scalable qualities are formulated to a precise degree to guarantee precise results. When a solvent supplier advertises scale solvents, it’s a good idea to ask which kind of scale solvents are available for purchase: stock products, custom formulations, or both.
In addition to potentially removing the need for custom solvents, readymade scale solvents can eliminate the need to dilute solvents to achieve specific mixture ratios. You receive a product that’s ready to “drop in” your solvent applications from the moment the shipment arrives.
In the Market for a Scale Solvent?
Due to the precision performance data that scale solvents entail, they allow users to buy with great confidence, knowing the solvent will work in a precise way.
If you need an environmentally preferred scale solvent, Ecolink is here to help. We offer a wide array of eco friendly stock solvents, as well as custom solvents that are designed for the unique needs of a single customer. Choose the solvent you need in the form that you need it: aerosol, hand wipes, pump spray, etc. You also have the option to order in various quantities.
To get started on selecting an environmentally preferred solvent that’s a perfect match for your solvent operations, give us a call today at 800-563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to helping you select a solvent that is scaled to your needs!
Industrial Cleaning 101: What are the Types of Solvents?
/in Solvents/by Industrial DegreasersSimply put, solvents are substances that dissolve other substances. In chemistry, this property of solvents is used to create complex formulations that are made for specific uses.
Although cleaners that contain solvents vary widely in terms of applications and effects, most industrial solvent-based cleaners are made from one of three types of solvents: oxygenated, hydrocarbon, and halogenated. Below, we look at their basic characteristics to help inform your cleaner purchase.
These types of solvents are formulated by extracting key elements from chemicals to create a cleaner that has the desired consistency and effect. More often than not, oxygenated solvents deliver exceptional purity (i.e., 99.0% to 99.9% pure), which supports their efficacy.
Near the end of the production process, oxygenated solvents undergo refinement that removes infinitesimal particulates, excess water, and other elements that would compromise the cleaner’s power and/or safety. Because the impurities can be predicted by the chemical process used to create the solvents, they can be produced quickly, which contributes to their affordable price.
The major types of oxygenated solvents are alcohol, glycol ethers, ketones, esters, and glycol ether esters.
These types of solvents undergo a chlorination process that gives them similar qualities, especially in terms of aroma, distillation range, flash point, and density. Many halogenated formulations also share the same color. One of the primary differences among this class of solvents is the volume of liquid dissolved to create the desired formulation.
For users, one of the most immediately notable distinctions between halogenated and hydrocarbon solvents is that the former commonly have a highly pungent aroma. Regardless of formulation, halogenated solvents consist of chlorinated hydrocarbons.
These types of solvents are known for their complex composition, especially compared to oxygenated solvents. In addition, unlike halogenated solvents, hydrocarbon solvents tend to differ significantly in terms of aroma, distillation range, flash point, and density.
Because they vary widely in the elements they contain, halogenated solvents are commonly created as custom solvents, which are formulated to match the needs of a narrow range of users or a single user. There are two main types of hydrocarbon solvents: aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Choosing Solvent Cleaners
Unless you have a formidable knowledge of the chemistry behind solvent cleaners, selecting solvent cleaners based on the solvent they contain can be difficult. For most users, the optimal way to select a cleaner is to consult a manufacturer of stock solvents and custom solvents.
Contact Ecolink Today
Ecolink is an experienced provider of environmentally safe and environmentally preferred industrial cleaners. We focus on making solvents that are safer for humans and the environment than previous generations of industrial cleaners. When you get a cleaner from us, you’re virtually guaranteed to never need a replacement due to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.
To inquire about our products and services, please call us today at (800) 563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to helping you identify the right types of solvents for industrial cleaning!