White spirit is a special tool (solvent) that is designed to dilute various liquid alkyds, certain types of rubbers (specifically it can be cyclo- and butyl rubber), as well as polybutyl methacrylate. In addition, when the content of the processed substance contains epoxy esters, this spirit can dissolve it. Why is white spirit used, how to use it, what is it transported in and what is characteristic of? You will find answers to all these and many other questions during the course of reading our article.
Application area
Often, white spirit is used to dilute oil varnishes and produce the substances listed in the previous paragraph. This tool is used for degreasing surfaces, washing the surface of products, parts and tools. “Does white spirit degrease well?”, You ask. Such a solvent, due to its persistent and aggressive composition, which we will consider a little later, is able to dissolve even the most persistent substances, so when working with it you need to take care of additional protective equipment in advance.
But back to the scope. In addition to degreasing, one of the main functions of this type of solvent is the dilution of thickened and conventional oil paints, thickened enamels and many other varieties and types of paints and varnishes. In addition, white spirit is able to dissolve a layer of thickened primer, drying oil, bituminous materials, etc. And in order for the result of the work to live up to their expectations, experts recommend washing the brushes and rollers in this solvent before applying alkyd, oil and pentaphthalic enamels. Often white spirit is used in industry as a degreasing element used before painting steel metal structures.
But in everyday life, it is no less relevant. On the farm, white spirit is used as a solvent for various bitumen and grease stains. In addition, it is used to dilute paints and varnishes before applying them to the surface, including automotive mastics.
White Spirit: Specifications and Composition
This substance is a potent gasoline-solvent, which includes liquid aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. At the same time, the production of white spirit is carried out through direct distillation of oil, and in some cases even using special refining methods. According to its technical characteristics, this solvent is very flammable. In this case, the boiling point of this product is from 155 to 200 degrees Celsius.
In the manufacture of a substance such as white spirit, the following production rules are observed:
- The proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons in the volume of liquid obtained is not more than 16 percent.
- The limiting temperature of the distillation should not exceed the mark of 160 degrees.
- It is strictly forbidden to add to this substance any mechanical impurities in the form of water, water-soluble alkalis and acids.
What is the difference between American white spirit and Russian?
Despite the general production technology and composition, as a result, foreign solvents have a lot of differences from domestic ones. Enumerating the characteristics and composition of a foreign white spirit, we note first of all the level of purification from harmful volatile impurities. Here, the main difference is that foreign analogues during production go through several stages of additional processing, and therefore practically have no harmful toxic smell. Thus, the liquid obtained by American technology is more safe for humans when performing work on degreasing the surface. Uncleaned white spirit is more potent, toxic and dangerous to human health. And Russian companies do not use solvent purification technology from harmful substances in production. Therefore, a domestic product is more dangerous to health. However, it is necessary to emphasize one important plus - such tools are faster and better clean the surface of unnecessary materials. This characteristic is achieved precisely due to the presence of those same harmful substances. In addition, the domestic spirit of this type significantly surpasses foreign liquids in terms of density and fire hazard. That is why it would be wrong to call the Russian solvent poor-quality - despite its toxicity, it cleans the surface from varnishes and other substances much more effectively.
White Spirit: Composition. The presence of hydrocarbons
Also one of the main differences of the substance in question is the level of concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons. As part of these funds, the presence of 16 percent of aromatic hydrocarbons from the total amount of spirit is allowed. In foreign analogues, such a substance is not used at all in production.
Adding to paints and varnishes
White spirit mixed with a part of water-based paint significantly reduces its consumption, while not violating the quality of the coating. However, here it is necessary to focus on the fact that such a paint does not lose its properties only if the ratio of the additive of solvent to varnish is the most optimal. Otherwise, adding spirit to the paint will be tantamount to using water - the result from such paintwork will be minimal. It is also necessary to remember that each manufacturer of this substance indicates its standards and requirements when mixing this product with another.
What is he like?
Based on the photographs presented in the article, we see that this type of spirit is a transparent liquid substance. By its viscosity properties, it resembles motor oil (even sometimes with a yellowish tinge). The characteristic smell (reminiscent of kerosene) is clearly felt at a distance of several meters. White spirit vapors are very dangerous for the human respiratory tract and can cause serious poisoning. Therefore, when working with this solvent, it is recommended to use a gas mask or a respirator, special clothing with protected sleeves and thick rubber gloves. By the way, getting this spirit on the skin can cause a serious burn - this remedy is so powerful.
Marking
In Russia, this substance is produced under a single brand: "Nefras-S4-155 / 205." In this case, each label indicates the name in Cyrillic "White Spirit".
What is it stored in?
This solvent is often stored in plastic bottles. Their volume can be 0.5, 3, 5 and 10 liters. The last three types of containers are presented in the form of a canister. On an industrial scale, large 216-liter metal barrels are used to transport white spirit. The shelf life of each of these fluids is different - from 3 to 10 years.
Fire hazard
The Nefras-S4-155 / 205 solvent is one of the most fire hazardous substances among all those that are only available on the Russian market. To understand how active it is, it’s enough to imagine that the entire fire hazard classification of liquids has certain classes (from the first, safest, to the fourth - the most vulnerable to ignition). So, this type of spirit belongs to the highest - fourth class. That is why experts extremely do not recommend using it close to flammable elements; it is best to do this at a distance of several tens of meters. At the same time, it should be stored in a dark room. As for the storage temperature, everything is much simpler here - this spirit does not lose its properties at temperatures from -40 to +30 degrees Celsius.
How much does White Spirit solvent cost?
The price of this substance directly depends on the volume of the container into which it is poured. The least cheap in cost (35 rubles per unit) will be a liquid placed in a 0.5-liter plastic jar. Further, prices rise in parallel with the volume of the product sold: for 1 liter of funds you will have to pay 55 rubles, a 5-liter and 10-liter canister costs 270 and 530 rubles, respectively. A metal barrel with white spirit with a volume of 216 liters costs about 8-8.5 thousand rubles. In some cases, liquids are found in 20-liter canisters. They cost about one thousand rubles per unit.