© Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Evaluating Cold Cleaning Alternatives

to TCE Case Study Dr. Jason Marshall 

### Lab Director Toxics Use Reduction Institute2 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Cold Cleaning Case Study • Most cleaning projects are not solved easily • No single drop-in cleaning alternative exists • The product selection process is one that must be tailored to each situation to ensure that alternative will be the best fit for the company3 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Elimination of TCE in production • A semi conductor

-electromagnetic and optical 

### functions manufacturer • Six step process

– mounting the materials with wax

– lapping process

– cleaned to remove oil and abrasives

– polished/cleaned

– materials dismounted

–final cleaning of wax using vapor degreasing4 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Mounting Materials • Heating a twelve inch plate of glass to 200- 300 F • Wax is applied • Lens paper is placed over the wax • Another layer of wax is applied 

### • Materials mounted into this layer of wax5 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Lapping/Polishing • Plate sent to be lapped or polished

– uses lapping oil

– one of two abrasives6 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Clean, Polish, Clean • Remove oil and abrasives

– involves wiping with TCE 

### • Cleaned materials are then polished and 

### cleaned by hand with a wet paper towel

–followed by an acetone wipe7 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Dismount and Final Cleaning • Plate is reheated to the 200-300O

### F range • Materials are slid off the surface • Final cleaning is focused on wax removal using TCE for up to 10 minutes • Following the de-waxing, two 5 minute ultrasonic aqueous cleaning stages are performed • Cleaning is finished off with a methanol bath 

### rinse for up to 4 minutes8 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Lab Testing • Identify alternatives for wax removal • Oil and abrasive slurries cleaning • Pilot cleaners on supplied client parts • Parts made from

– Alumina nitride

– Alumina

– fused silica

– lithium fluoride

– Glass

– stainless steel.9 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## What Was Cleaned • Stage 1. Bees wax • Stage 2. 98045 Wax from Roger Reed • Stage 3. Roger Reed 93114 wax • Stage 4. Roger Reed 98033 wax • Stage 5.Aremco Crystalbond 509 wax • Stage 6. Speed Fam Industrial Applications Vehicle 210 with Boron Carbide abrasive • Stage 7. Speed Fam Industrial Applications Vehicle 210 with Aluminum Oxide abrasive • Stage 8. Pilot Cleaning10 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Summary of Successful Products Contaminant Company Name Product Name Total Effective Ineffective Waxes AG Environmental Products Canola Gold CE110 3 2 1 Waxes Bio Chem Systems Bio T 200 A 8 5 3 Waxes Dynamold Solvents Inc DS 108 4 3 1 Waxes Florida Chemical Company Citrus Burst 7 8 5 3 Waxes National Diagnostic Opti Clear 9 8 1 Waxes Pentone Corporation Citrikleen XPC 8 4 4 Waxes Solvent Kleene Inc D Greeze 500 LO 3 1 2 Abrasive Amax Corporation Safety First 2 2 Abrasive Brulin Corporation Formula 815 GD 2 2 Abrasive Innovative Organics Inc Amberclean L 12 2 2 Abrasive LPS Laboratories LPS Precision Clean 2 2 Abrasive National Diagnostic Opti Clear 1 1 Abrasive US Polychem Corporation Polyspray Jet 790 XS 2 2 Oil Amax Corporation Safety First 2 2 Oil Brulin Corporation Formula 815 GD 2 2 Oil Innovative Organics Inc Amberclean L 12 2 2 Oil LPS Laboratories LPS Precision Clean 2 2 Oil National Diagnostic Opti Clear 1 1 Oil US Polychem Corporation Polyspray Jet 790 XS 2 211 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Outcome • The facility only had 8 gallons of TCE remaining and were not intending on purchasing any more

– The employees were all pleased to hear that TCE would not be used any more 

### • Upon contacting the company one month 

### later, informed that alternative products were working well

– Solvent Kleene D-Greeze 50012 © Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 

## Success without Worker Buy-in not Likely • Keys to success

– Conducting systematic performance testing using the specific soils encountered at the facility

– Pilot the potential product on actual parts by the personnel responsible for running the cleaning process 

### • By conducting the on-site work, questions or concerns can be met in real time