Cleaning

Our Soltrol^® isoparaffin solvents are ideal for parts cleaning and degreasing applications as well as for use as solvents in inks, paints, and agrochemical formulations. Our Soltrol^® isoparaffins cover a range of boiling points and are ideal for low-odor applications. We offer a wide range of other hydrocarbons that can meet a variety of cleaning needs.

We also offer specialty solvents for niche cleaning applications. For example, dimethylcyclohexane has found use as a cleaner for CDs. Sulfolane has been shown to be effective in circuit board cleaning. Our methanesulfonic acid (MSA) is a strong acid that serves as a component in many metal cleaning and etching solutions. Some of the ways in which MSA is used in cleaning are listed below:

• MSA can be used as a component in stripping agents for positive photoresists.
• A dilute MSA solution can be used as a predip to remove oxides from part surfaces prior to electroplating.
• Nickel, tin, lead, tin/lead alloy, and cadmium coatings can be stripped from copper/copper alloys or zinc/zinc alloys with MSA.
• MSA can be used in the electropolishing of copper, silver, gold, and zirconium/zirconium alloys.
• MSA can serve as a component of copper etching solutions for use in printed circuit board manufacture.

Chemical Manufacturing

We offer a range of specialty solvents that find application in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Sulfolane (tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide) and isooctane are used to carry out reactions in the synthetic organic chemistry and pharmaceutical industries that are difficult or impossible in other solvents.
• n-Heptane is a good choice for the purification of pharmaceutical products and other synthetic organics.

Extraction

Sulfolane is used as a solvent in the UOP Aromatic Extraction Process for the removal of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) from reformed oil refinery streams. Sulfolane is also one component in a formulation used to remove acid gases such as CO₂, H₂S, COS, and mercaptans from natural gas and methane reform gas in ammonia plants. Please contact us to learn more about the selective solvency properties of sulfolane.

Our line of hydrocarbon solvents also finds applications in selective extraction. We offer a wide range of hydrocarbons to meet your application needs.