Trial #1
To find an effective cleaner that can clean polyurethane foam off of stainless steel coupons
Fifteen pre-weighed 2"x4" stainless steel coupons, three for each cleaner tested, were contaminated with a 50/50 blend of Part A and Part B polyurethane foam after mixing at high speed with a drill press in a beaker. Coupons were immediately scrapped to remove a majority of the polyurethane foam to reflect soil levels observed in the images provided by the client. Dirty weights were recorded after soiling the coupons. Cleaners were tested at 100% concentration. The coupons cleaned with Dimethyl Carbonate, Propylene Carbonate, Methyl Acetate, and Ethyl Lactate were immersed for five minutes at room temperature (68F) and are air dried for 5 minutes @68F. After 5 minutes, coupons were gently wiped down with Wypall (one wipe down). The coupons cleaned with StaSol and Sky Kleen 1000 were immersed for five minutes heated to 125F and are air dried for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, coupons were gently wiped down with Wypall (one wipe down). Final weights of the coupons were then recorded as well as final visual observations. The visual observations were based on the criteria listed below.
| Score
|
Description
|
| 1
|
Clean/ completely removed
|
| 2
|
Mostly removed
|
| 3
|
Partial removing
|
| 4
|
Some removal
|
| 5
|
Initial dirty/No removal
|
| Cleaner
|
Initial wt of cont.
|
Final wt of cont.
|
%Cont Removed
|
% AVG
|
Final Visual Rating
|
AVG Visual Rating
|
| Dimethyl Carbonate (68F)
|
1.2738
|
0.1960
|
84.61
|
82.72
|
2
|
2.2
|
| 1.9451
|
0.6513
|
66.52
|
3
|
| 1.3459
|
0.0399
|
97.04
|
1.5
|
| Propylene Carbonate (68F)
|
1.1170
|
0.8764
|
21.54
|
21.65
|
4
|
4
|
| 0.8378
|
0.6465
|
22.83
|
4
|
| 1.1379
|
0.9038
|
20.57
|
4
|
| Ethyl Lactate (68F)
|
1.2648
|
0.7126
|
43.66
|
54.17
|
3.5
|
3.3
|
| 0.8453
|
0.2852
|
66.26
|
3
|
| 1.0978
|
0.5206
|
52.58
|
3.5
|
| StaSol 100% (125F)
|
1.2711
|
0.7553
|
40.58
|
54.50
|
3
|
2.7
|
| 1.1150
|
0.5751
|
48.42
|
3
|
| 1.0978
|
0.2799
|
74.50
|
2
|
| Sky Kleen 1000 (125F)
|
0.8342
|
0.3666
|
56.05
|
59.02
|
2
|
2
|
| 0.9092
|
0.3218
|
64.61
|
2
|
| 0.7903
|
0.3445
|
56.41
|
2
|
| Methyl Acetate (68F)
|
0.3478
|
0.0154
|
95.57
|
97.64
|
1
|
1
|
| 1.2978
|
0.0240
|
98.15
|
1
|
| 1.0891
|
0.0088
|
99.19
|
1
|
Stasol 100% and Sky Kleen 1000, both dibasic ester mixtures, showed more effectiveness visually under heat than the previous test without heat. They removed more than 50% of the contents as compared to just 37% and 23% respectively. Ethyl Lactate unheated also removed more than 50% of the contents. Dimethyl Carbonate unheated had an 82.72% removal and visually looked the cleanest after fifteen minutes of unheated immersion cleaning. the Methyl Acetate unheated performed the best with a removal of 97.64% and perfect visual scores. Based on this testing, additional products, solvents, and solvent blends will be added to future testing, and Propylene Carbonate will not be tested going forward due to poor performance with less removal.
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