Processes for removing hydrocarbon fuel and grease residues on aerospace components have been a concern to worker health and the environment since the advent of the space program. Freon was used for precision cleaning until 1987 when Freon was classified an ozone depleting compound. A replacement solvent system was developed under the trade name of Vertrel MCA and used starting in 2000. Health and environmental concerns have prompted the aerospace industry to develop green precision cleaning methods, equally effective as Vertrel MCA. Selected green solvents meet American Society for Testing and Materials specifications. Simulated contamination studies to develop efficient and green precision cleaning methods have been devised to determine the success of green solvents when removing fluorinated greases, like Braycote and Krytox. Success was determined by a cleaning efficiency percentage. Results show higher cleaning efficiency of a fluorinated solvent and varying efficiencies of other solvents based on different fluorinated greases.

Green solvents for aerospace components

245th National Meeting (2013)

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