White spirit – a special agent (solvent) that’s meant to dilute the various liquid alkyds, certain types of rubber (specifically, it can be cyclo – butyl rubber), as well as polybutylmethacrylate. In addition, when content in the composition of the treated material of epoxyethers, with a given spirit can dissolve it. Why use white spirit how to apply it, than it is transported and what is typical? The answers to these and many other questions will learn in the course of reading our article.
Scope
Often, the solvent is white spirit used to dilute oil paints and receive the substances listed in the previous paragraph. This tool is used for degreasing surfaces, cleaning surfaces, parts and tools. “Pores whether white spirit efficiently?”, you ask. Such a solvent due to its persistent and aggressive composition, which we will consider later, is capable of dissolving even the most stubborn substances, so when you work with him you need to take care of the additional protection.
But back to the application. In addition to degreasing, one of the main functions of this type of solvent is a dilute color pastes and conventional oil-based paints, thickened enamel, and many other varieties and types of paints. In addition, the white spirit can dissolve the thickened layers of primer, varnishes, bituminous materials, etc. And to ensure that the results of work performed met their expectations, experts recommend washing brushes and rollers in the solvent before applying them with alkyd, oil and pentaphthalic enamels. Often white spirit is used in industry as degreasing product used before painting of steel metal constructions.
But in real life he’s less relevant. The farm white spirit is used as solvent for various bitumen and grease. In addition, it is used for dilution of paint and varnish materials before their application to the surface, including automotive mastic.
White spirit: specifications and composition
This substance is a potent gasoline-a solvent consisting of liquid aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The production of white spirit is through direct distillation of crude oil, and in some cases even with the use of special cleaning methods. By its technical characteristics, the solvent is highly flammable. The boiling temperature of the tool ranges from 155 to 200 degrees Celsius.
In the manufacture of substances such as white spirit the following production rules:
- The Share of aromatic hydrocarbons in the volume of the resulting liquid is not more than 16 percent.
- Maximum distillation temperature of not exceed the level of 160 degrees.
- It is Strictly forbidden to add to the substance of any mechanical impurities in the form of water soluble alkalis and acids.
The difference between the American white spirit from Russian?
Despite the General technology of production and composition, in the end, foreign solvents have a lot of differences from domestic. Listing what foreign means “white spirit” characteristics and composition, we note first and foremost the level of purification of harmful volatile impurities. Here, the main difference lies in the fact that the foreign counterparts in the production go through several stages of additional processing and, therefore, have practically no harmful toxic smell. Thus, the obtained according to us technology fluid is more safe to humans when performing work on degreasing the surface. Raw white spirit is a more potent, toxic and dangerous for human health. And Russian companies in the production not use technology for the purification of solvent from harmful substances. Therefore, the domestic product is more hazardous to health. However, it is necessary to emphasize one important plus – such tools are more fast-acting and better to clean the surface from unwanted materials. This feature is achieved due to the presence in the composition of those harmful substances. In addition, the domestic spirit of this type is far superior in terms of density and fire risk foreign liquid. That is why it would be wrong to call the Russian solvent substandard – despite its toxicity, it is much more efficiently cleans the surface from paints and other substances.
White spirit composition. The presence of hydrocarbons
Also, one of the main differences between the substances in question is the level of concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons. The composition of these funds is allowed for 16 percent of aromatic hydrocarbons of total volume of spirit. In the same foreign analogues of this substance is not used in production.
Addpaint materials
White spirit mixed with part water-based paint, significantly reduces its consumption, thus does not violate the quality of the coating. However, there is need to focus on that does not lose its properties the paint just in case, if the ratio of solvent to the lacquer to be optimal. Otherwise, the addition of mineral spirits into the paint would be tantamount to application of water – the result of such paint will be minimal. You also need to remember that each manufacturer of the substance indicates your requirements when mixing this product with another.
What is it?
On the Basis of presented in the article pictures, we can see that this type of spirit is a liquid substance, transparent color. In its properties it resembles the viscosity of the engine oil (even sometimes with a yellowish tinge). Characteristic smell (like kerosene) is clearly felt at a distance of several meters. Couple of white spirit is very dangerous for the respiratory tract and can cause serious poisoning. Therefore, when working with this solvent it is recommended to use a gas mask or respirator, special clothing protected with sleeves and thick rubber gloves. By the way, getting the spirit to the skin can cause severe burns – so much acting the tool.
Marking
On the territory of Russia this material is produced under a single brand: «Nefras C4-155/205”. Each label indicates the name in Cyrillic “white spirit”.
What is it stored?
Stored the solvent is often in plastic bottles. Their volume may be 0.5, 3, 5 and 10 liters. The latter three types of tanks is presented in the form of cans. On an industrial scale for transporting white spirit used large 216 litre metal drums. The storage time of each of these fluids varies – from 3 to 10 years.
Fire
Solvent “Nefras C4-155/205” is one of the most flammable substances among all those that are only available on the Russian market. To understand how it is active, is enough to imagine that the entire fire hazard classification of fluids has certain classes (from the first, the safest, to the fourth – most vulnerable to fire). So, this type of spirit belongs to the high – fourth grade. That is why experts highly recommend not to use it near flammable items, it is best to do it on distance in some tens metres. Thus it should be stored in a dark room. As for storage temperatures, here everything is much simpler – the spirit does not lose its properties at temperatures from -40 to +30 degrees Celsius.
How much solvent “white spirit”?
The Price of this material depends on the volume of the tank in which he bathed. Least cheap (35 $ for a unit) will be liquid, placed in 0.5-liter plastic jar. Next prices grow parallel to the size of the product: for 1 liter of medium will have to pay 55 rubles, 5-liter and 10-liter Jerry can is 270 to 530 rubles, respectively. Metal barrel with white spirit and a volume of 216 liters is about 8-8,5 thousand rubles. In some cases there are liquid in 20 liter cans. They cost about one thousand rubles per unit.
