Aqua-Cleen® Degreaser Additive is the ESSENTIAL ingredient for high performance cleaning formulations. Aqua-Cleen® is a pleasant odor, nonionic surfactant used to formulate aqueous cleaners and degreasers. With an HLB of 13.5 and no gel phase, Aqua-Cleen® couples well with other surfactants and builders across a wide pH range.
Excellent Oil Splitting and DetergencyAqua-Cleen® is a nonionic surfactant that has high detergency and oil-in-water emulsifying power. Its unique formulation gives it the ideal hydrophilic to hydrophobic ratio (HLB) to be both water soluble and have outstanding oil splitting performance. It's the perfect additive for cleaners and degreasers.
Superior WettabilityAqua-Cleen® wets, penetrates, lifts and disperses contaminants from surfaces. Its UNIQUE ethoxylated sulfur chemistry forms emulsions with a high dispersive capacity and excellent surface wetting characteristics. When compared with similar ethoxylated alcohols, Aqua-Cleen®, shows higher wettability at lower concentrations. Better wettability means efficient cleaning with less product!
High Efficiency Ingredient for Metal Cleaning FormulationsAqua-Cleen® is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding metal cleaning applications such as drilling metal structure cleaning, production and industrial pipe cleaning, industrial metal equipment cleaning, and circuit board cleaning. When compared to similar surfactants on the market, Aqua-Cleen® has proven to be more efficient at removing contaminants from metal surfaces.
While Aqua-Cleen® is effective in a wide range of temperatures, its high cloud point makes it ideal for processes that require heat. Aqua-Cleen® can also be stored at higher temperatures so no need to worry during hot days.
Highly Compatible with Other Surfactants and BuildersWith an HLB of 13.5, Aqua-Cleen® couples well with other surfactants as well as builders needed in cleaning formulations. It performs well across a wide pH range and does not have a gel phase. Aqua-Cleen® surfactant is also great in single component or simple composition mixtures.
Pleasant Citrus Aroma and Low ToxicityAqua-Cleen® has an intrinsic mild citrus aroma that makes it pleasant to work with compared to other similar surfactants that have a foul or pungent smell. It is inherently biodegradable and imparts low toxicity when properly used.
Aqua-Cleen® can be used as a drop-in replacement or in combination with ethoxylated alcohol surfactants in existing formulations to increase mixture cloud point, improve odor profile, boost detergency and achieve higher wettability.
| Aqua-Cleen® Nonionic Ethoxylated Sulfur (CAS# Pending) | 91-6 Nonionic Ethoxylated Alcohol (CAS# 68439-46-3) | TMN-6 Nonionic Ethoxylated Alcohol (CAS# 60828-78-6) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HLB | 13.5 | 13 | 13.1 |
| Cloud Point, 1% | 54-70 °C | 53 °C | 36 °C |
| Wettability | High | N/A | N/A |
| pH | 3.5-4.5 (4 typical) | 5-7 | 5-6 |
| Color | Light Yellow-Yellow | Clear to white | Pale Yellow |
| Smell | Pleasant-Mild Grapefruit | Mild | Pungent |
| Biodegradable | Inherently Biodegradable | Readily/ Inherently Biodegradable(*) | Not Readily Biodegradable(*) |
“Aqua-Cleen® is the key ingredient in formulations for products used by many Fortune 500 companies and other leading chemical, environmental and energy related companies around the world.” – Veronica Irurzun Conner, Sr. Research Scientist, CPI
Aqua-Cleen® is the ideal answer for formulating high-performance cleaners across many different industries. It is currently used with great success in the following applications :
Aqua-Cleen® is a nonionic sulfur based polyoxyethylene surfactant.
Yes, Aqua-Cleen® can be diluted with water. A typical dilution range is between 1 and 5% by volume. A suggested base formulation for a heavy duty degreaser is Aqua-Cleen® 5%, EDTA 3%, Water 92% (by weight).
Like any other surfactant, Aqua-Cleen® foams but it is not classified as a high foaming. Foam height, initial(1): 96 mm; foam height, five minutes(1): 0 mm ((1)ASTM D1173-53). More details can be found in the Aqua-Cleen® PDS and SDS.
Aqua-Cleen® is classified as inherently biodegradable, non-hazardous as well as non-toxic to sewage organisms at moderate concentrations. More details can be found in the Aqua-Cleen® PDS and SDS.
Aqua-Cleen® is not corrosive. In fact, Aqua-Cleen® has inherent properties that make it a corrosion inhibitor. The typical pH of Aqua-Cleen® is 3-5.
Aqua-Cleen® does not have a strong/unpleasant smell. Aqua-Cleen® has a pleasant citrus or grapefruit-like fragrance.
The presence of sulfur imparts outstanding properties such as high wettability, high detergency and high solubility in oil phases. In addition, it allows the formation of foam-breaking byproducts, making it suitable for a variety of processes such as pulp and paper cleaning, wool scouring, and metal cleaning.
Yes, Aqua-Cleen® is ideal for this purpose as it is non-corrosive to base metal. It can act as a tarnish-removing component for alkaline copper and brass cleaners and is effective in wide pH ranges. Aqua-Cleen® cleans metal to a bright, shiny, water break free surface.
For guidance on finding the right solution for your specific needs, please contact our team of industry experts. Formulary assistance available upon request.
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