Vertrel^® XF is an ultra-mild, ozone-safe, nonflammable hydrofluorocarbon solvent. A clear, colorless liquid with almost no aroma, it is ideally suited for use in vapor degreasing equipment for cleaning ultra-fine particulates from substrates, plus rinsing and drying. Vertrel^® XF also is an excellent choice for applications involving ultrasonic cleaning because of its low viscosity. It can replace CFC-113, PFC, and HFE solvents in many applications.

Vertrel^® XF is extremely mild and plastic-safe, which means it is ideally suited for cleaning fine particulate matter (submicron range) from metal and nonmetal parts. This contrasts with common aqueous cleaning fluids which tend to have higher viscosities and lower densities, making these fluids less efficient.

In chemical terms, Vertrel^® XF is 100% pure HFC 43-10mee which is also known as 2,3-dihydrodeca-fluoropentane. Solvency is selective, but can be enhanced by use of appropriate azeotropes and blends with alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, etc.

Users select Vertrel^® XF because of its unique combination of (a) physical properties (e.g., very high density, a very low viscosity and low surface tension), (b) superior handling (such as its nonflammabile nature, its chemical and thermal stability), and low toxicity and (c) easy distillation.

Unlike the PFCs, Vertrel^® XF is completely miscible with most esters, ketones, ethers, ether-alcohols, and the lower alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol and isopropanol. The lower hydrocarbons, such as hexane and heptane, are also soluble. The cleaner also has excellent materials compatibility. Almost any plastic or elastomer can be safely cleaned in Vertrel^® XF.

Neat Vertrel^® XF has limited solvency for many higher molecular weight materials, such as hydrocarbon oils, silicone oils, waxes, and greases; combinations with the many readily-miscible esters, alcohols and lower hydrocarbons can enhance solubility and cleaning efficiency. Vertrel^® XF also is an excellent rinsing agent in co-solvent systems.

Like CFC-113 and the PFCs, Vertrel^® XF has high solubility for Krytox^® and "Fomblin" fluorocarbon lubricants and can be used either as an application carrier fluid or to remove them.

Data from acute toxicity studies has demonstrated that Vertrel^® XF has low toxicity. DuPont has assigned the cleaner an Acceptable Exposure Limit (AEL) of 200 ppm, with a 400 ppm ceiling.

The cleaner is completely nonflammable and does not become flammable during boiling or evaporation. It exhibits no closed or open cup flash point, and is not classified as a flammable liquid by NFPA or DOT. It is thermally stable to 300° C (572° F) and does not oxidize or degrade during storage.

For further details about the safety of the solvent carefully read and understand the data in the DuPont Material Safety Data Sheet, available as a PDF file.

Vertrel^® XF has "zero" ozone-depletion potential and low global warming potential. It has been accepted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program as a substitute for ozone-depleting substances. The chemical ingredient in Vertrel^® XF is TSCA listed.

Vertrel^® XF is a pure component material, and is easily recoverable by off-line and in-line distillation equipment such as a vapor degreaser or a still. It is thermally stable and does not oxidize or degrade during storage.

Vertrel^® XF is commercially available in 55-gal (208-L) drums, 5-gal (20-L) pails, and one-gallon (five liter) packages. Samples in one-liter canisters are available from Micro Care Marketing Services on request. Customers are encouraged to secure samples now for compatibility and performance testing.

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