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Trial Number 3

Trial Purpose:

To evaluate the effectiveness of alternative solvents at the removal of acrylic paint from metal paint cans.

Date Run:

08/13/2020

Experiment Procedure:

Initial weights were taken for three paint cans. Yellow acrylic topcoat paint was poured into each can and swirled around to sufficiently coat the walls of the can. Any excess paint was poured back into the original can. The paint was allowed to dry for approximately twenty minutes before the cans were weighed again for a contaminated weight. Three hundred milliliters of solvent were poured into the paint can and scrubbed using a brush for fifteen minutes. When the cleaner was saturated, it was poured out and a fresh two hundred milliliters of cleaner was added and continued to be scrubbed for the remaining time. The paint cans were allowed to dry for twenty minutes before obtaining final weights. 

Trial Results:

Cleaner Paint Can Initial wt of cont. Final wt of cont. %Cont Removed
Propylene Carbonate A 10.8200 2.0200 81.33
Dimethyl Glutarate B 11.1600 1.7700 84.14
Toluene C 12.9700 0.0900 99.31

Success Rating:

Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.

Conclusion:

Toluene was the most effective at removing acrylic paint from the metal paint cans with a percent removal rate of 99.31%. Dimethyl glutarate and propylene carbonate were both effective with percent removal rates of 84.14% and 81.33% respectively. 

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