Chemical Composition
The main component of deicing fluid is usually propylene glycol or ethylene glycol. Other ingredients vary depending on the manufacturer, but the exact composition of a particular brand of fluid is generally held as confidential proprietary information.
Based on chemical analysis, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified five main classes of additives widely used among manufacturers:
- Benzotriazole and methyl-substituted benzotriazole, used as corrosion inhibitor/flame retardants to reduce flammability resulting from the corrosion of metal components carrying a direct current.
- Alkylphenol and alkylphenol ethoxylates, nonionic surfactants used to reduce surface tension.
- Triethanolamine, used as a pH buffer.
- High molecular weight, nonlinear polymers, used to increase viscoelasticity.
- Colored dyes, such as azo, xanthene, triphenyl methane, and anthroquinone, used to aid in identification.
The use of 1,3-propanediol (a fermentation product of corn) as a base for deicing fluid was patented in 2009. At least one manufacturer of deicing fluids (Kilfrost) is now using that as a base for their product.
Read more about this topic: Deicing Fluid
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