What are the ingredients of degreaser? Is it environmentally friendly?

Degreasers are chemical agents used to remove grease, dirt and other organic pollutants. They are widely used in metal processing, automobile maintenance, electronic manufacturing, textiles, food processing and other fields. The composition of degreasers varies depending on their use and environmental requirements, but their main ingredients usually include solvents, surfactants, additives and water. With the increase of environmental awareness, the environmental friendliness of degreasers has also become an important consideration.

1. The main ingredients of degreasing agent

1. Solvent

Solvent is one of the core components of degreasers, which can dissolve grease and other organic pollutants. Common solvents include:

- Organic solvents: such as acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, xylene, etc. These solvents have a strong ability to dissolve oils and fats, but some organic solvents are volatile, flammable and toxic, which may cause harm to the environment and human health.

- Chlorinated hydrocarbons: such as trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, etc. These solvents have a significant degreasing effect, but due to their destructiveness to the ozone layer and potential carcinogenicity, they have been gradually restricted or eliminated.

- Environmentally friendly solvents: such as limonene (extracted from citrus fruits), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), etc. These solvents are relatively environmentally friendly and less toxic, but you still need to pay attention to their use conditions.

2. Surfactants

Surfactants can reduce the surface tension of liquids, allowing grease and water to mix better, thereby improving degreasing effects. Common surfactants include:

- Anionic surfactants: such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), sulfates, etc. These surfactants are low in cost but may cause water pollution.

- Non-ionic surfactants: such as polyoxyethylene ethers, alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ethers (APEO), etc. These surfactants have stable performance, but some types (such as APEO) may be harmful to the ecological environment.

- Environmentally friendly surfactants: such as alkyl polyglycoside (APG), fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO), etc. These surfactants are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

3. Additives

Additives are used to enhance the performance of degreasers, such as stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, solubilizers, etc. Common additives include:

- Alkaline additives: such as sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, etc., used to neutralize acidic pollutants.

- Corrosion inhibitors: such as phosphates, silicates, etc., used to protect metal surfaces from corrosion.

- Solubilizers: such as glycol ethers, used to improve the compatibility of solvents with water.

4. Water

Water is the main ingredient in many water-based degreasers, used to dilute other ingredients and reduce costs. Water-based degreasers are generally better for the environment, but may not be as effective as solvent-based degreasers.

2. Environmental protection of degreasing agent

The environmental friendliness of degreasing agents mainly depends on their composition, usage and impact on the environment. The following analyzes the environmental friendliness of degreasing agents from several aspects:

1. Environmentally friendly ingredients

- Solvents: Traditional organic solvents and chlorinated hydrocarbons are more harmful to the environment and human health, while environmentally friendly solvents such as limonene and DMSO are less toxic, more biodegradable, and more in line with environmental protection requirements.

- Surfactants: Non-ionic surfactants and environmentally friendly surfactants (such as APG, AEO) have less impact on the environment, while some anionic surfactants and APEO may cause water pollution.

- Additives: Alkaline additives and corrosion inhibitors have little impact on the environment, but some additives (such as phosphates) may cause eutrophication of water bodies.

2. Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions

Solvent-based degreasers usually contain high VOCs, which can harm air quality and human health during volatilization. Water-based degreasers and low-VOC degreasers have more advantages in this regard.

3. Biodegradability

Environmentally friendly degreasing agents usually have good biodegradability and can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment, reducing pollution to soil and water.

4. Toxicity

The toxicity of a degreaser depends on its ingredients. Organic solvents and chlorinated hydrocarbons in traditional degreasers can be carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and have other health hazards, while environmentally friendly degreasers are generally less toxic.

5. Waste Disposal

The waste generated after the degreaser is used needs to be properly disposed of. Environmentally friendly degreasers are usually easier to dispose of, while traditional degreasers may require special treatment to avoid environmental pollution.

3. Development trend of environmentally friendly degreasing agent

With the increasingly stringent environmental regulations and the improvement of consumers' environmental awareness, the research and development and production of degreasers are moving towards a more environmentally friendly direction. The following are the main development trends of environmentally friendly degreasers:

1. Popularity of water-based degreasers

Water-based degreasers use water as their main ingredient, have low VOC content, and are less toxic, and are gradually becoming mainstream products.

2. Development of bio-based degreasing agents

Bio-based degreasers developed using natural resources (such as plant extracts) have better biodegradability and environmental friendliness.

3. Promotion of low-VOC and no-VOC degreasers

By improving the formula and developing low-VOC or VOC-free degreasing agents, the harm to air quality can be reduced.

4. Application of green chemical technology

Adopt green chemical technology, such as supercritical fluid degreasing, plasma degreasing, etc., to reduce the use of chemical substances and the impact on the environment.

IV. Conclusion

The ingredients of degreasers mainly include solvents, surfactants, additives and water. Their environmental friendliness varies depending on the ingredients and how they are used. Traditional degreasers may cause harm to the environment and human health, while environmentally friendly degreasers reduce the negative impact on the environment by using low-toxic, low-VOC, and biodegradable ingredients. With the advancement of technology and the improvement of environmental protection regulations, environmentally friendly degreasers will become the mainstream direction of future development. When choosing a degreaser, its performance, environmental friendliness and safety should be comprehensively considered to achieve a win-win situation of economic benefits and environmental protection.