Alconox

Q. How do you clean wax marks on optical lenses which are difficult to remove?
A. Use either 1% Alconox or Liquinox in a heated 160 deg F ultrasonic bath followed by a deionized water rinse to clean optical lenses during manufacturing.

Q. We need to find an alternative cleaning solution we can use to sonicate metal (hardened steel) tools with that won’t rust them.

A. Hardened tool steel is prone to flash rusting on exposure to water and humidity with dissolved oxygen if there are no corrosion inhibitors present. You can clean tool steel in a warm Alconox solution (less than 120 deg F or less than 45 deg C) followed by an ambient temperature rinse (circa 70 deg C or 20 deg F) and a rapid …

Q. What is the pH of a 1% solution of Alconox for cleaning?
A. A 1% solution of Alconox has a pH of 9.5. This is a mild alkaline solution suitable for general purpose cleaning of a wide range of organic and inorganic residues. The pH of a 1% Alconox solution and other technical information can be found on an Alconox technical bulletin and Material Data Safety Sheet (alconox msds).

Q. Is there a trace of bromine in Alconox?
A. There is a typical trace content of 35 ppm bromine. Most, if not all of that bromine, is in the form of bromide. Downloadable Trace Analysis Certificates are available for all Alconox brand products.

Q. We have had a customer call and say the product is not “sudsy & slimy” like it usually is.

A. Variations in normal water hardness will not impact the detergency of Alconox, but they can change the foam and feel of a solution. If the client has had any change in the hardness (amount of calcium and magnesium in the water) of their water used to make solutions, this can cause changes in the “slipperyness” and foaminess of the solution. Harder water will make less foam because the calcium and magnesium ions in the water form insoluble dodecylbenzene sulfonate soaps that must be dispersed and emulsified by the cleaner, thereby depleting available foam making ingredients.