Trial Purpose:
Test 5 cleaners against current chemistry
Date Run:
11/07/1995Experiment Procedure:
The purpose of this trial is to find a chemistry that is suitable for Silversmith's needs. This trial will test five different cleaning chemistries against Silversmith's current chemistry (Texo Corp. Texolite 1734SL.)
The five cleaners selected were Calgon Geo-Guard 2215 (5%), Matchless MC 135 (4%), Matchless MC 580 (4%), Novamax Spectrum BCR (5%) and Calgon AK 6215 (4%). For each cleaner, 3 silver plated coupons will be cleaned for a total of 18 coupons.
Cleaning will be performed at 134-143 F for ten minutes in a beaker agitated with a stir-bar. Identical stir-bar settings will be used on all cleaning solutions to ensure that all parts receive equal agitation. The coupons were rinsed for 30 seconds in a static tap water rinse set at 100 F.
All coupons were weighed before and after contamination and after drying to obtain a percentage removal. The coupons were also visually inspected for any films that might have remained from ineffective rinsing.
The three best cleaners will be used in an ultrasonic run with some contaminated silverware obtained from Silversmith. The parts were cleaned for 5 minutes at 140 F. Rinsing was performed for 30 seconds in a tap water bath at 100 F.
Trial Results:
| GRAVIMETRIC RESULTS | |||||
| Cleaning Solution: 4% Matchless MC 135 | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 143 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 102 | |||||
| sample # / | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | Removal |
| 833 | 36.1331 | 36.3513 | 36.1426 | 0.2087 | 95.65% |
| 9696 | 36.1995 | 36.4386 | 36.2628 | 0.1758 | 73.53% |
| 7634 | 35.9915 | 36.1024 | 35.9984 | 0.104 | 93.78% |
| Average | 87.65% | ||||
| StDev. | 12.27% | ||||
| Cleaning Solution: 5% Solution of Calgon Geo-Guard 2215 | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 134 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 102 | |||||
| sample # / | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | |
| 6169 | 36.1093 | 36.3447 | 36.1126 | 0.2321 | 98.60% |
| 9477 | 36.1331 | 36.3513 | 36.1426 | 0.2087 | 95.65% |
| 8840 | 36.1132 | 36.3226 | 36.1151 | 0.2075 | 99.09% |
| Average | 97.78% | ||||
| StDev. | 1.86% | ||||
| Cleaning Solution: 4% Solution of Matchless MC580 | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 141 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 102 | |||||
| sample # | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | Removal |
| 1447 | 36.3757 | 36.5388 | 36.3754 | 0.1634 | 100.18% |
| 8028 | 36.031 | 36.2547 | 36.0331 | 0.2216 | 99.06% |
| 6502 | 35.8792 | 36.2758 | 35.8954 | 0.3804 | 95.92% |
| Average | 98.39% | ||||
| StDev. | 2.21% | ||||
| Cleaning Solution: 4% Solution of Calgon AK-6215 | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 143 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 102 | |||||
| sample # | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | Removal |
| 6282 | 35.8571 | 36.0822 | 35.8563 | 0.2259 | 100.36% |
| 578 | 36.2884 | 36.4821 | 36.2888 | 0.1933 | 99.79% |
| 6968 | 35.9252 | 36.0917 | 35.9234 | 0.1683 | 101.08% |
| Average | 100.41% | ||||
| StDev | 0.65% | ||||
| Cleaning Solution: 5% Solution of Novamax Spectrum BCR | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 140 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 100 | |||||
| sample # / | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | Removal |
| 268 | 36.2572 | 36.4275 | 36.259 | 0.1685 | 98.94% |
| 1843 | 36.4164 | 36.5713 | 36.4189 | 0.1524 | 98.39% |
| 9967 | 36.2268 | 36.3532 | 36.2268 | 0.1264 | 100.00% |
| Average | 99.11% | ||||
| StDev | 0.82% | ||||
| Cleaning Solution: 2% Solution of Texo Corp Texolite 1734SL | |||||
| Cleaning Temperature (F): 137 | |||||
| Tap Water Rinse Temperature (F): 99 | |||||
| sample # | clean mass | mass with | mass after | contaminant | Percent |
| substrate | (g) | cont (g) | cleaning (g) | removed (g) | Removal |
| 239 | 36.2552 | 36.4109 | 36.3018 | 0.1091 | 70.07% |
| 1450 | 36.3759 | 36.5232 | 36.4176 | 0.1056 | 71.69% |
| 9354 | 36.1662 | 36.3143 | 36.2236 | 0.0907 | 61.24% |
| Average | 67.67% | ||||
| StDev. | 5.62% | ||||
Success Rating:
Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.Conclusion:
Three chemistries were found to be the best performers (Matchless MC 580, Calgon AK- 6215 and Novamax Spectrum BCR). The Matchless MC 580 was visually the most effective cleaner especially when used with ultrasonics. The Calgon AK-6215 was the only low foaming cleaner out of the three. However, due to the fatty acids contained in the buffing compound, saponification took place and the Calgon AK-6215 had a higher foam level as the soil loading had increased.
