CleanSource Industrial Care Terminology

Acid - Any substance, which when dissolved in water, yields a pH below 7.

Alcohols (Industrial) - Common types used in cleaning products are Methyl, Ethyl, and Isopropyl. These are used to increase the solvency and cleaning ability without residue.

Alkali - Any substance, which when dissolved in water, yields a pH above 7.

Alloy - A formulated mixture of metals.

Biodegradable - Any substance which has the capability of being decomposed by naturally occuring microorganisms.

Catalyst - A substance that influences a chemical action in which it does not take part.

Caustic - Any strong alkaline material which has a corrosive or aggressive affect on living tissue.

Chlorinated Solvent - Degreasing solvents with lower flammability and greater solvent power than normal petroleum solvents such as mineral spirits.

Coolant - Any fluid used in the metalworking process to reduce heat and provide lubricity between the tool and the workpiece.

Corrosion - The electrochemical degradation of metals or alloys due to a reaction with their environment.

Corrosive - Any solid, liquid or gas that burns, irritates or destructively attacks another substance.

D. N. R. - Department of Natural Resources.

d-Limonene - A natural hydrocarbon solvent extracted from citrus products and usually smells like oranges.

Detergent - A synthetic cleaning agent with the ability to emulsify oil and hold dirt, containing surfactant which do not precipitate in hard water.

Dielectric - Any substance with very low electrical conductivity.

Diluent - The material that a concentrated product is diluted with.

Dip Tank Degreasing - the process in which grease, dirt and oil are removed from the metal parts by immersing them in a degreasing solution.

Disinfectant - Substance used on inanimate objects which destroy harmful microorganisms or inhibit their activity.

E. P. A. - Environmental Protection Agency.

Emulsion - A mixture of liquids that do not blend, such as water and oil, and whereby one compound forms minute particles which are suspended in the other compound.

Fire Point - The lowest temperature at which the vapors of a liquid will ignite in the presence of a flame or spark and burn continuously.

Flash Point - The lowest temperature at which the vapors of a liquid will ignite in the presence of a flame or spark.

Galvanizing - Coating of ferrous metals with zinc to add corrosion resistance.

Germicide - A chemical compound which kills microorganisms.

Hard Water - Water which contains ions of magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca).

Inhibitor - Drastically reduces the corrosive effect of a product on metal.

K. B. Value - Indicates the relative solvent power and is used to test the aggressiveness of solvent products.

Lubricant - A material that reduces friction between sliding surfaces.

M. A. C. Rating - Maximum Allowable Concentration, generally the ceiling value used to determine the amount of solvent vapor allowed in a concentrated area for toxicity purposes.

M. S. D. S. - Material Safety Data Sheet, the form required by law which lists hazardous ingredients per a published manual that must be provided to those companies who distribute or use chemical products.

Oxidize - A chemical process where oxygen combines with other substances.

PPMs - Stands for parts per million.

Penetrant - The ability of a product to seek all areas of the surface sprayed, usually refers to a lubricant's ability to thin out sufficiently to cover contacting metal surfaces. To penetrate.

Petroleum Distillate - Hydrocarbon solvents derived from crude oil by distillation.

Phosphates - Inorganic salts used for water softening and detergency.

Scale - Mineral deposits precipitated from water such as calcium carbonate.

Soil Load Capacity - The amount of soil a chemical may hold in suspension before the soils affect the properties of the product.

Stability - The ability of a product to remain unchanged over periods of time.

Synergistic - When the total effect of two active components in a mixture is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Titration - A method of determining by volume the concentration of a desired substance or chemical.

Toxicity - Relating to a harmful effect by a poisonous substance on the human body by physical contact, ingestion or inhalation.

U. S. D. A. - United States Department of Agriculture in charge or issuing lists of compounds approved for use in areas which are federally inspected.

Vapor - A diffused substance suspended in the air.

Vapor Degreasing - The process in which a chlorinated solvent is heated in a tank. The heated solvent forms a vapor that condenses onto the cooler metal parts, which drips back into the tank cleaning the metal parts of soils.

Viscosity - The degree of thinness or resistance to flow by a fluid.