Solvent dewatering composition

Abstract

Water-displacing compositions based on fluorocarbon solvent FC-113 (1,1,2-trifluoro-1,2,2-trichloroethane) and certain surfactants are provided. These solutions serve to displace water from a broad range of substrates, including metals such as stainless-steel, aluminum alloys and brass, as well as from glass and ceramic surfaces such as lime glasses, borosilicate glass, unglazed alumina and fired alumina. In addition, these compositions do not form emulsions with the displaced water. This latter property is important to efficient water removal by decantation when the drying solvent is used in commercial drying processes and apparatus. The surfactants are chosen from a combination of: (a) the isopropyl amine salt of a dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid; (b) 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol combined with an aliphatic primary alcohol in the range of hexanol to dodecanol; and (c) certain aliphatic esters of polyphosphoric acid, in the free-acid form. This combination of ingredients, in appropriate weight relationships to each other, is present in the dewatering solution at a total weight of about 0.5 percent based on the fluorocarbon solvent.