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Trial Number 3

Trial Purpose:

To further evaluate potential cleaners on the last type of contaminant.

Date Run:

12/20/1999

Experiment Procedure:

Six cleaning chemistries were selected based on the previous trial results. Five of these products were diluted to five percent and one to two percent by volume in 600 ml beakers using DI water. These six solutions were heated to 130 F on a hot plate. Eighteen preweighed stainless steel coupons were coated with the pitch compound and cooled for 30 minutes at room temperature and weighed again. (Note: The six contaminants provided were sub-grouped according to their make up. There were three Aluminum Oxide based buffing compounds, two mineral oil based products and one other. Separate testing has been performed according to these classifications.) Three coupons were cleaned for three minutes in a beaker using stir-bar agitation. Coupons were rinsed in DI water at 130 F for 30 seconds and dried using a Master Appliance Corp, Hot-air gun model HG-301A at 500 F for one minute. After the coupons cooled to room temperature, a final clean weight was recorded and cleaning efficiencies were calculated.
Two additional cleaners were evaluated after the six aqueous proved to be ineffective. One was selected from the previous trials for this client and the other was based on the Laboratories database of effective test conditions

SUBSTRATE MATERIAL: Stainless steel coupons (202-316 B-80)
CONTAMINANTS: Universal Photonics #48 Transparent Pitch (C19H29COOH w/ Hydrocarbon resins & natural materials)
CONTAMINATING PROCESS USED: Pitch heated and applied by rubbing onto coupons.

Trial Results:

The six aqueous products were very ineffective in removing the pitch from the coupons. Only the Oakite cleaner had moderate success after a gently wipe of the coupon removed pitch that had become brittle. Two additional cleaners were evaluated due to the lack of positive results. These products were very effective in removing the contaminant from the coupons at room temperature and using ultrasonic energy. Table 3 lists the calculated efficiencies for all of the cleaning products tested.

Table 3. Calculated Efficiencies

Chemsitry: Oakite Texo Corp  US Poly Valtech WR Grace International Oakite 2nd Envirosolution Safe Science
Coupon 1 6.97 6.27 8.10 3.32 7.73 10.59 69.39 98.88 99.12
Coupon 2 14.39 4.49 7.25 5.34 3.32 2.73 73.59 99.96 94.08
Coupon 3 4.00 3.23 9.52 7.77 8.14 7.07 57.37 99.75 98.00
Average 8.45 4.66 8.29 5.47 6.40 6.80 66.78 99.53 97.07

Success Rating:

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

Conclusion:

Safe Science, from previous testing and Envirosolutions, both were effective in removing nearly all of the pitch from the coupons. Oakite’s Inproclean 3800 was the most successful aqueous cleaner for the removal of the contaminant. The solution made the pitch brittle, which resulted in easy manual removal. An additional trial will be conducted for cleaning supplied parts.

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