Solvent alternatives
Hardly a day goes by when there is not an announcement of a product developed to replace substances that deplete the ozone or create smog. In real time, the solvents market is being transformed. What was once a commodities business, dominated by a handful of chlorinated and hydrocarbon compounds, is an uncharted niche for hundreds of specialized products. Though the alternatives are diverse--from alcohols to solvent emulsions, making inroads with customers is an uphill battle. Few products match the all-around performance and price of their predecessors, such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, one of the most versatile and widely used solvents. For aqueous systems especially, the competition is fierce, and could intensify should some old foes make a comeback in solvents. Industry observers point to the US Environmental Protection Agency`s decision to exempt acetone from regulation as a volatile organic compound (VOC). To date, oxygenated solvents, such as alcohols, alcohol esters and alcohol ethers are the biggest beneficiaries of the move away from hazardous solvents, say market analysts at The Freedonia Group, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio). The oxygenates, which are nonchlorinated and contain low levels of VOCs, work well in water-based coatings.
- OSTI ID:
- 445635
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Engineering, Vol. 104, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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