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The Many Faces of Corrosion Inhibitors
Yesterday I noted with sadness the demise of one of our feeding bowls. We bought the bowl believing it was treated with a corrosion inhibitor, but the evident rust inside and out from holding mineral salts proved otherwise. Corrosion destroys or impedes the operation of many simple and complex machines, and, for this reason, corrosion inhibitors have become specialized in their uses.
Corrosion is defined as the gradual destruction of metals or other materials by a chemical reaction. Provided by water treatment chemical supplier, corrosion inhibitors adhere to the surface of metals to create a film between the metal and the surrounding environment and impede chemical reactivity. To inhibit corrosion, five specific methods have been used with success.
Passivators Inhibitors: Passivators, or passivity inhibitors, reduce the ionic charge of the metal they protect to a more stable molecular structure. When the metal becomes less charged and more passive, it is less reactive to outside chemical changes. The most common passivators are oxidizing agents.
Cathodic Inhibitors: Cathodic inhibitors reduce hydrogen’s loss as well as its ability to recombine with external molecules, thereby “sealing” metals.
Organic Inhibitors: Organic inhibitors form a hydrophobic (water fearing) film on the surface of metals. Organic inhibitors containing both nitrogen and sulfur promote better bonding and are recommended; weaker bonds are formed when other molecules are used and the underlying metal is not sealed as well.
Precipitation Inducing Inhibitors: Precipitation inducing inhibitors cause a precipitate, or a solid, to form via a chemical reaction. This precipitate amalgamates with the metal to form a protective barrier.
Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors: Volatile corrosion inhibitors (VCIs) are a unique corrosion inhibitor, to say the least. VCIs emit a vapor that contains nitrogen. While one side of the nitrogen bonds to the polar metal surface, the other hydrophobic side points externally and repels water. The distinct difference between VCIs and other corrosion inhibitors is its ability to evaporate and redeposit molecules to evenly coat the entire surface of a metal object. This also causes VCIs to be self-healing: any surface that is marred or scratched will heal by the redistribution of existing VCI coating.
Depending on the type of metal and your individual requirements, one of the above choices of corrosion inhibitors is sure to meet the needs of your corrosion control. If you’re looking to purchase corrosion inhibitors, or require more information, contact Bell Chem at 407-339-BELL (2355). We’re a professional water treatment chemical supplier in Central Florida and we’re happy to help with you next order.
How have corrosion inhibitors helped you? Share this post and tell us which method of inhibitor you have experience with.
The Many Things That Can Be Cleaned With D-Limonene
Unless you’re a chemical supplier in Florida, chances are you have not heard of the product D-Limonene. However, there is a significant chance that you have used several products containing D-Limonene, without knowing it. The citrusy smell of D-Limonene emanates from its source: citrus rind. As the rind’s juice and oil are separated, the oil is distilled to produce D-Limonene.
Once it is distilled and purified, D-Limonene is off and running with a lengthy list of uses. You may find D-Limonene as a degreaser, within plastics, in paint solids, as a fragrance, and as a cleaner. Inside the house, you can use D-Limonene to clean hard surfaces such as your kitchen counter, to remove stains and chewing gum in your carpet, in the bathroom to clean the floor and bathtub, to clean electronics, as a pre-wash in the laundry room, to clean the windows in every room, and to remove the sticky backing from the Cinderella sticker your daughter affixed to the center of your new refrigerator. When you have completed all your interior cleaning projects, D-Limonene is a refreshing way to clean your hands, leaving them with a clean, fresh smell.
Outside, D-Limonene leaves your car shining like new by removing tar, shining the wheels, and cleaning the engine and other intricate parts under the hood. It also excels at cleaning tools in the garage and removes tar, grease, and oil spots from the cement floor. If you need to clean your tools, workbench, and machinery, rely on D-Limonene. The boat in your driveway will also benefit from D-Limonene’s gentle cleansing power. For the house and yard, it has also been noted that D-Limonene has insecticidal propensities.
Chemical suppliers in Florida also provide D-Limonene to commercial establishments because of its ability to effectively cleans concrete floors; removes asbestos shingles; degreases all types of engines--aircraft, automotive, and aerospace; maintains the cleanliness of grease traps by removing oil and grease buildup; cleans, degreases, and deodorizes lift stations and sewage treatment plants; removes tile and tar; cleans printing presses; shines metal; and removes the graffiti from outside the office building.
The pharmaceutical industry has found D-Limonene to be effective in the battle against cancer and AIDS, and the cosmetic industry adds D-Limonene to products for its citrus smell, as an aerosol ingredient, and for its oil- and grease-eradicating properties.
It seems the list of D-Limonene duties is extensive, but it may be only the beginning. New methods of using this miraculous product are being discovered daily. For additional information on this versatile and efficient chemical, contact Bell Chem, your trusted chemical supplier in Florida today.
Cleaning With All-Natural Alkaline Cleaners
A cleaning agent is one that removes dirt and odors from hard or soft surfaces. While many cleaning agents contain antiseptic or antibacterial properties, not all do. Adding an alkaline, or strong base, such as potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide (NH3, or household ammonia) or sodium hydroxide, to a cleaning agent enhances the cleaning agent’s ability to dissolve grease, fat, oil, and stains containing a protein component. The last component of this topic--the “all-natural” portion--is on the minds of millions of consumers recently. But what do we mean when we mention an all-natural alkaline cleaner, produced and distributed by a sanitation chemical supplier?
Because ammonia is readily available in grocery stores and considered completely safe for household use, it is a commonly used natural alkaline cleaner. Adding ammonia to water creates ammonium hydroxide, an all-purpose cleaner noted for its streak-free shine. The ability to clean without leaving any residue gives ammonium hydroxide top billing in cleaning and shining glass, stainless steel, or other smooth, glossy finishes. Ammonium hydroxide is also strongly antiseptic, another characteristic sanitation chemical suppliers and consumers appreciate.
Another natural alkaline cleaner is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), commonly known as washing soda or soda ash. Closely resembling sodium carbonate is baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Both these alkaline cleaners are excellent silver cleaners as they work with aluminum foil by removing the aluminum oxide molecules from the foil to bind hydrogen with the sulfide on the tarnished silver, thereby renewing its shine. Washing soda is also a common water softener in laundry detergents. Because it is an alkaline, sodium carbonate removes many of the everyday spills on our clothes, such as grease and oil. The list of cleaning uses for sodium bicarbonate is long and varied, and includes cleaning brushes, teeth, hands, fiberglass, bathtubs and sinks, pots and pans, coffeepots and cups with coffee and tea stains, floors, furniture, et cetera. Almost any surface with grime, oil, or a grease build-up will sparkle when baking soda cleans it.
Finding a naturally occurring proven cleaner with a pH level greater than pH 7 will provide you with an all-natural alkaline cleaner with myriad uses that does not damage the environment or the individuals using it. Contact Bell Chem, your Orlando sanitation chemical supplier, for additional information on all-natural alkaline cleaners.
How to Safely Handle Caustic Soda Beads
Caustic soda beads definitely live up to their name. As a matter of fact, “caustic” may downplay their reaction. Available from your local water treatment chemical supplier, caustic soda beads tend to corrode or burn any organic material, but most often its reaction is associated with a huge exothermic conflagration when it comes into contact with acids or a heat source.
Knowing the propensity of this chemical to violent reactions, it is extremely important to understand how to safely handle caustic soda beads. When caustic soda beads come into contact with skin, it breaks down proteins and lipids at and beneath the skin’s surface, causing severe chemical burns, deep ulcerations, and scarring.
When working with caustic soda beads, personal protection devices (PPDs) are not suggested or recommended, but imperative. Included in your protective wear should be a particulate filter respirator with full face-piece; close fitting chemical safety goggles; natural rubber, nitrile, or neoprene gloves; boots; and an apron or full chemical suit. Ensure a barrier exists between your skin and eyes, and the caustic soda beads. If you are wearing gloves and a face mask, do not, under any circumstances, rub your face or eyes with gloves that may have come in direct contact with caustic soda beads.
While diluting caustic soda beads or creating a solution, be sure to slowly add the caustic soda beads to the surface of cold--not hot--water since warm or hot water may cause an explosive reaction. Two other solids--sugars and glass--also cause a reaction when mixed with caustic soda beads. Sugars and caustic soda beads generate carbon monoxide, a deadly gas; caustic soda beads corrode glass, which may damage ground glass joints or glazing.
Ensure any room where caustic soda beads are stored or used is well ventilated. Containers of caustic soda beads should be stored in a cool, dry room. Lastly, while pouring or using caustic soda beads, maintain dust levels below permissible levels of exposure. Using these guidelines while handling caustic soda beads will prove much safer for you and your employees.
For additional safety information or to purchase caustic soda beads from a water treatment chemical supplier, contact the experts at Bell Chem today.
Sanitizers and Common Sanitizing Agents
The words “clean” and “sanitary” are often used interchangeably in everyday speech. However, the two have very specific definitions, especially when associated with food or health service. “Clean” is defined as free of dirt or marks while “sanitary” involves the reduction of pathogens, or anything that may endanger health. While a home may be free of dirt or smudges, it may still harbor pathogens that afflict humans.
If a cutting board is used to cut raw chicken, for instance, it may appear clean if a rag is swiped across the board and no chicken remains. Dangerous pathogens are still present on the cutting board until it is thoroughly sanitized, however. Sanitizing is dependent on water temperature, pH, and strength of the sanitizing agent; sanitizing requires the use of heat, chemicals, or radiation. If any of these factors are not correct, the surface may be clean, but dangerous microorganisms may still be present. In the United States, a product cannot be labeled as a sanitizer unless it has been proven to eradicate 99.999% of the original bacteria present on a surface.
Sanitizers, as found at a sanitation chemical supplier, are categorized by their ability to kill or debilitate certain microbes. While some sanitizers, such as bacteriostats, prevent the growth of bacteria, other sanitizers are bactericides, killing all existing bacteria. Germicide in a sanitizer is all-purpose since it destroys all microorganisms: once the microorganisms are destroyed, the surface is considered sterile. “Antiseptic” is a term used with living organisms since it prevents sepsis or putrefaction. Its sister term, “disinfectant” is used on inanimate objects and may not necessarily kill all microorganisms.
If a surface is to be properly cleaned and sanitized, the appropriate tools need to be utilized. A damp sponge that was not sanitized after its previous use may contaminate a surface rather than cleaning it. Likewise, some tools, such as abrasive pads, may disintegrate while in use. The residue remaining afterward may be far less clean and sanitary than believed.
Storing cleaning tools is as important as using the correct tools. If a cleaning rag, sponge, or abrasive scouring pad is simply swished through dish soap and left on a counter to dry in a heap, chances are it will not dry completely. A warm, moist environment is usually the ultimate breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms. Ensure proper storage by sanitizing all cleaning paraphernalia after use.
For additional information on sanitation products, contact Bell Chem today. Founded in 1992, we’re the Orlando sanitation chemical supplier that offers a diverse selection of raw materials, botanical, and natural ingredients.
Salicylic Acid as a Beauty Care Product
When acne medicines are discussed, salicylic acid reigns as the leading beauty care chemical for gentle cleansing and the removal of blemishes. Working below the skin’s surface, salicylic acid disintegrates the chemicals that hold quickly-multiplying cells together--it has been found that acne is often caused by inordinately fast cell division within the face’s pores. Therefore, salicylic acid not only reduces the appearance of acne, it prevents its occurrence. Clogged pores, redness, and breakouts are alleviated with the addition of salicylic acid to a skin maintenance routine. Two of its other tasks, exfoliation and anti-inflammation, work beautifully for those afflicted with acne breakouts since other medications tend to irritate the skin. Salicylic acid exfoliates more than simply the skin’s surface, penetrating the pores and removing dead and injured cells deeper than other cleansers.
Acne is not the only skin complication salicylic acid benefits. The action of dissolving the chemical bonds between molecules releases cells from agglutinating within skin pores. As these cells are released, the old and dead cells are removed from the surface (keratolysis), giving the skin a clean, smooth appearance. The keratolytic effect of salicylic acid also aids in the absorption of other medicines when multiple medicines are applied simultaneously.
Studies have also proven salicylic acid’s ability to treat dandruff and fungal problems while alleviating itching and irritation, advantages not found in many other medicines. While performing these myriad tasks, salicylic acid moisturizes and conditions the skin and hair. However, because it absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays, salicylic acid should not be used or stored in direct sunlight.
One beauty care chemical form of salicylic acid, beta hydroxy acid, is used commercially to reverse the visible signs associated with aging. Another closely related chemical, acetylsalicylic acid, has many of the same benefits as salicylic acid. As a matter of fact, most households in the United States will find acetylsalicylic acid in their medicine chests; its common name is “aspirin”. If you have used aspirin in the past, you are already familiar with many of the benefits of salicylic acid.
Bell Chem is your Orlando chemical manufacturing expert. We look forward to providing you with quality customer service and quality beauty care chemicals--including salicylic acid. For more information, contact us by phone at (407) 339-BELL(2355).
Vitamins Used in Beauty Care Products to Improve Skin
Much as the body requires vitamins to maintain homeostasis, the skin also needs a regimen of vitamins. Vitamins are natural defenses to aging, sun damage, healing, and they enhance the skin’s potential to protect the body. While many of these vitamins serve specific purposes, it has been proven that their capabilities improve when they are used in beauty care chemicals in conjunction with one or more additional vitamins.
Vitamin A. Vitamin A and its derivative beauty care chemicals (retinoids) are remarkable wrinkle reducers, skin smoothers, acne preventers, and spot reducers. Added into many night creams, Vitamin A reacts and breaks down when introduced to sunlight. Retinoic acid is an active form of Vitamin A used to reduce wrinkles by restoring elastin, the elastic-like fibers that maintain the skin’s youthful appearance.
Vitamin B. Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) reduces redness in the epidermis and strengthens the skin’s ability to retain moisture and keep out impurities. When applied with Vitamin A, niacinamide reduces the side effect of skin irritation, which may occur if Vitamin A is added too frequently or in an elevated dosage.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a free-radical policeman, stalking and removing free radicals that can damage skin. Free radicals associated with the effects of aging cause wrinkles, sagging, discoloration, et cetera. Adding Vitamin C deters and may reverse these changes. Vitamin C should be applied in the morning to enhance the skin’s ability to shield the body from ultraviolet rays.
Vitamin E. Vitamin E assists in the epidermis’ capacity to retain moisture. It is also an excellent free-radical eliminator. Much like Vitamin C, Vitamin E may act to reverse skin damage. Combine it with Vitamin C in the morning if you are planning to spend any time in the sun.
Vitamin K. Vitamin K is often added to creams containing Vitamin A since it serves many of the same purposes – removing discoloration, especially around the eyes. Because Vitamin K is essential in clotting blood, it also aids in healing any skin blemishes, and is frequently found in moisturizers specifically designed to fade dark circles under the eyes.
Vitamins are essential to life, and they make beauty and skin care a bit easier as well. For additional information about the vitamins in beauty care chemicals and their positive impact on your skin care, contact Bell Chem at (407) 339-BELL(2355).
Magnesium Stearate PDR NF
Magnesium stearate NF (National Formulary) is a pharmaceutical-grade tableting excipient, which is an inert ingredient added to a substance to bind and disperse active ingredients in medications and other products. Magnesium stearate NF is recognized worldwide as an outstanding mold release agent, lubricant, water repellant, and anticompacting agent. For these reasons, pharmaceutical companies and chemical suppliers in Florida readily add magnesium stearate NF to most solid-dosage drug applications (powders, tablets, and capsules). As a matter of fact, more than 2,500 pharmaceutical products contain magnesium stearate NF, giving it the impressive title of the most used excipient of the top 200 most often prescribed drugs.
Magnesium stearate NF is known by a variety of alternate names, including magnesium octadecanoate, dibasic magnesium stearate, and magnesium salt. Chemically, magnesium stearate combines two anions of stearic acid (stearate) with a magnesium ion cation to form a salt with the chemical formula C36H70MgO4.
The “NF” nomenclature denotes a food-grade descriptor. When purchased from a chemical supplier in Florida, magnesium stearate is a fine, white precipitate powder that becomes a solid when exposed to an ambient temperature, and a liquid at 88°C. Because it is not soluble in water, it is frequently used as an anti-adherent in the pharmaceutical industry.
Cosmetics are also imbued with magnesium stearate NF for a variety of reasons, including the prevention of caking; suspension of particulate matter; binding of specific ingredients; and as an emulsifying, thickening, or gelling agent. All these properties allow make-up and other cosmetic products to flow smoothly without clumping, and distribute pigments evenly throughout.
The properties of magnesium stearate also give it a role in the manufacturing of foods ranging from baby formula to hard candies, where it binds sugar to create an even distribution of flavor.
The next time you reach for your favorite brand of medication for a headache or a prescription drug, think of how magnesium stearate NF contributed to helping you feel better. For additional information about magnesium stearate NF, contact Bell Chem, a trusted chemical supplier in Florida, today at (407) 339-BELL.
Polysorbate 80
Polysorbate 80 is a viscous (thick), yellow, water-soluble non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier often utilized in the food industry and sold by a food chemical supplier. Similar to Polysorbate 20 in its initial structure, Polysorbate 80 differs in the number of polyoxyethylene groups (80) attached to the sorbitan monolaurate base.
If you have ever enjoyed a bowl of ice cream, you have undoubtedly consumed Polysorbate 80. Its power to emulsify foods, or mix two or more ingredients that are traditionally not compatible – such as water and oil – create an ice cream that is smoother, easier to handle, and more resistant to melting. In the case of ice cream, Polysorbate 80 prevents the proteins in milk from completely coating the milk’s fat droplets, allowing the milk and fat droplets to adhere firmly in a netted pattern that holds in air more readily than it would normally. Along with ice cream, your trusted food chemical supplier can tell you that many other foods contain Polysorbate 80, such as whipped cream, gelatin, shortening, and condiments. Also, almost every processed food contains Polysorbate 80.
Foods are not the only place you will find this substance, however. The pharmaceutical industry finds Polysorbate 80 indispensable in emulsifying liquid mixtures to give proper dosages with each prescription. Influenza and HPV vaccines, heart medications, contraceptives, and anti-cancer treatments all contain Polysorbate 80 to give exact measurements of the medication needed to treat a disease or illness. Vitamins, tablets, and supplements also contain Polysorbate 80 because of its preservative nature.
The solubility of Polysorbate 80 allows it to assist in dissolving ingredients that would remain solid under normal circumstances. Liquid and solid soaps, creams, and bath gels take advantage of this behavior to create an even distribution of oils and fragrances. In cosmetics, the surfactant action of Polysorbate 80 gives a creamier, more appealing look to make-up.
In the laboratory, Polysorbate 80 acts as a lipase (a catalyst that dissolves lipid molecules); therefore it is used to identify the phenotype of an isolate by causing a distinct color change in a mixture.
For additional information, or to purchase Polysorbate 80, contact the Florida food chemical distributor, Bell Chem. We’re located in Orlando and can be reached at (407) 339-BELL.
Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 20 has various roles in biotechnical, pharmaceutical, personal care, industrial, and domestic uses. It acts as an emulsifier to bind ingredients securely together; for instance, it impedes oils from separating from water. Another function is as a surfactant, or a substance that reduces a liquid’s surface tension, thereby acting as a dispersing agent. This ability allows foods to become easier to spread more evenly, either within a liquid or atop a solid surface. These two functions – surfactant and emulsifier – give Polysorbate 20 the dual uses of industrial cleaner and personal care product ingredient. Among other locations, Polysorbate 20 can be found at a personal raw care materials supplier.
Biotechnical - Biotechnological applications of Polysorbate 20 are many and varied, ranging from use as a washing agent in immunoassays to prevent non-specific antibody binding; to saturating surface binding sites; to lysing animal cells; and to solubilizing membrane proteins within cells.
Pharmaceutical - The pharmaceutical industry relies on Polysorbate 20 to act as an excipient in the stabilization of suspensions and emulsions. This power allows the same amount of liquid or solid to be released with every dosage.
Personal Care - In the personal care industry, Polysorbate 20, as found at a personal raw care materials supplier, acts as an emulsifier with fragrances or essential oils since it keeps these products from separating once they are combined with water or alcohol. Mouth drops, for instance, employ the powers of Polysorbate 20 as a wetting agent as well as an emulsifier to evenly spread minty flavor throughout the tablet.
Industrial Use - Industrial uses for Polysorbate 20 take advantage of its powers to both emulsify and act as a detergent in floor cleaners and other cleaning products.
Domestic Use - Lastly, philatelists list Polysorbate 20 as their preferred medium to remove the adhesive backing of stamps from envelopes because it does not harm the paper stamp’s integrity.
Polysorbate 20 has a variety of uses and is nonionic and nontoxic. Its suffix of “20” derives from the amount of ethylene oxide added (the polyoxyethylene) to the base sorbitan monolaurate; in this case, a chain of twenty.
If you have any questions regarding this highly versatile and fully functional substance, contact Bell Chem, a personal raw care materials supplier. Call us today at (407) 339-BELL.