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Trial Number 4

Client Number 516

Project Number 1

Trial Purpose:

All-purpose test to determine the efficacy of the GeoPro X product in removing Lithium grease from a variety of substrates compared to other janitorial and industrial degreasing products. Rerun of previous test using a higher concentration of GeoPro X to see if the higher concentration leads to a higher efficacy.

Date Run:

04/30/2024

Experiment Procedure:

Three coupons of each substrate were used per cleaning product, for a total of 24 coupons.  Each coupon was weighed using a gravimetric balance and had their weights recorded.  Each coupon was then soiled with about 0.5 grams of lithium grease by using a swab to administer the contaminant down the center of the coupons.  Each coupon was then weighed again, and had their 'dirty weights' recorded.  The coupons were then cleaned with their respective cleaning product using the Straight Line Washability Unit (or SLW) to ensure a standard pressure is applied to each coupon while being manually wiped.  Two sprays of the correct cleaner was applied to a wypall that is attached to the cleaning sled of the SLW to wipe the soil away and two sprays were applied directly to each coupon (meaning each coupon was cleaned with about 2.5 ml of cleaning chemistry).  The SLW unit was run for 20 cycles (20 back and forth motions) for each coupon.  Once cleaned, the coupons were allowed to air dry before having their final weights recorded.

Trial Results:

Cleaner Substrate Initial wt of cont. Final wt of cont. %Cont Removed AVG % Removed Overall % Removed
GeoPro X 3% Aluminum 0.0267 0.0209 21.72 0.57 11.26
0.0140 0.0140 0.00
0.0140 0.0168 -20.00
Galvanized Steel 0.0189 0.0161 14.81 11.24
0.0189 0.0171 9.52
0.0245 0.0222 9.39
Stainless Steel 0.0149 0.0097 34.90 21.96
0.0123 0.0108 12.20
0.0213 0.0173 18.78
Formula 409 RTU Aluminum 0.0733 0.0150 79.54 67.03 53.04
0.0580 0.0241 58.45
0.0439 0.0162 63.10
Galvanized Steel 0.0503 0.0186 63.02 54.18
0.0586 0.0282 51.88
0.0674 0.0353 47.63
Stainless Steel 0.0450 0.0339 24.67 37.93
0.0764 0.0415 45.68
0.0465 0.0263 43.44
Polychem Deox 007 1:7 Aluminum 0.0325 0.0219 32.62 42.98 57.08
0.0479 0.0247 48.43
0.0499 0.0260 47.90
Galvanized Steel 0.0390 0.0123 68.46 69.00
0.0792 0.0153 80.68
0.0650 0.0274 57.85
Stainless Steel 0.0440 0.0161 63.41 59.25
0.0519 0.0179 65.51
0.0602 0.0308 48.84

General observations:

One of the coupons cleaned using the GeoPro X 3% showed a negative removal percentage.  This could likely be due to some of the grit (the individual granuals of the powder) of the GeoPro X getting stuck to the contaminant and being left on the surface of the substrate.  The weight of this grit in addition to the weight of the contaminant is probably what has caused the clean weight to be heavier than the dirty weight.

Success Rating:

Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.

Conclusion:

None of the products are effective in removing lithium grease from Aluminum, Galvanized Steel, or Stainless Steel.  The Fomula 409 and Polychem Deox 007 performed comparatively and removed, on average, about 50% of the soil from the coupons.  The GeoPro X 3% concentration unfortunately did not perform comparatively to the two other products, removing only about 11.26% of soil from the coupons.  

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