Honeywell launches new environment-friendly solvent

Honeywell has introduced a new high-performance, low-global-warming-potential solvent that offers excellent cleaning power for metal and plastic parts. The new solvent, Solstice? Performance Fluid (PF), effectively cleans oils, greases and other substances commonly encountered in many cleaning applications, ranging from electronics manufacturing to military and aerospace equipment repair. 

Solstice PF has a global warming potential (GWP) of 1, which is more than 99 percent lower than the GWPs of today's most commonly used solvents. The new material provides solvent users with a cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally-preferable alternative to high-GWP solvents. The widespread adoption of Solstice PF could save about 18 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is comparable to eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from more than 3 million cars every year. 

Solstice PF is suitable for use in vapor degreasing equipment and line flushing, and can be dispensed from an aerosol can. It is available in two alcohol blends for electronics applications, with one of the blends specifically designed to meet California environmental regulations. 

Solstice PF is an environmentally-preferable alternative to high-GWP HFC and HFE solvents used today, including HFC-4310mee and HFE-7100. It is also a suitable replacement for HCFC-225ca, which will be prohibited in the U.S. for most uses beginning January 1, 2015. Solstice PF is nonflammable, per ASTM E681 testing, and is not a volatile organic compound (VOC) as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Solstice PF also has an occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 800 parts per million (ppm), compared with 10 ppm for n-propyl bromide (nPB). 

Solstice PF is the latest addition to Honeywell's family of Solstice-branded products, which includes stationary and mobile refrigerants, liquid and gaseous blowing agents, and propellants. The Solstice product line is based on Honeywell's new hydrofluoro-olefin technology, which is designed to help customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.