On the Performance and Mechanism of Ultrasonically Cleaning Metal Components with Environmentally Acceptable Organic Solvents

SUMMARY

Experimental results are presented which allow comparison between the cleaning performance of recently available environmentally friendly solvents and traditionally used solvents. Particular emphasis is given to considering the removal of different kinds of grease contamination from components with blind holes or crevices. The fundamental principles underlying the process of removal of organic contamination from metal surfaces with organic solvents are discussed and a simple mechanism postulated to explain the gradual decrease in the decontamination rate that occurs as the cleaning process progresses. It is considered most likely that the primary role of ultrasonification in the cleaning of metals is to promote detachment of contaminant from the surface rather than enhanced transport of dissolved material away from the surface/solvent interface.